We love ripe summer tomatoes as much as anyone. But truth be told, there’s a different summer vegetable that we constantly need new recipes for, because not only is it affordable (unlike those farmer’s market heirloom tomatoes), it’s also incredibly abundant for home gardeners. We’re talking about zucchini, of course. We’re always down to make […]
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We love ripe summer tomatoes as much as anyone. But truth be told, there’s a different summer vegetable that we constantly need new recipes for, because not only is it affordable (unlike those farmer’s market heirloom tomatoes), it’s also incredibly abundant for home gardeners. We’re talking about zucchini, of course. We’re always down to make a loaf of savory parmesan zucchini bread or one of the many summer zucchini recipes we’ve collected over the years, but when we saw the first episode of actor, cookbook author, and Italian food enthusiast Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy, there was a new zucchini recipe we knew we’d have to try: spaghetti alla Nerano. And we weren’t alone.
TikTok creator Here’s Your Bite recently shared their rendition of Tucci’s favorite pasta alla Nerano, a dish of spaghetti with deep-fried zucchini, and the video has more than 1 million views. It seems like we’re not the only ones looking for ways to use up all of our zucchini! But what is the traditional spaghetti alla Nerano?
Nerano is a village in Italy, and it’s where this zucchini dish was invented. It’s a simple pasta recipe that pairs al-dente spaghetti with deep fried, thinly sliced zucchini, salty aged cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, and fresh basil. The cooked pasta is swiftly tossed with the fried zucchini, cheese, and a splash of pasta water, creating a silky, flavorful sauce dotted with caramelized zucchini pieces. Fresh basil is tossed in before serving. Like most simple Italian dishes, the quality of the ingredients counts. Use a high-quality pasta, like Tucci’s favorite Rummo Italian Pasta, and the freshest zucchini and basil you can find. That’s the recipe at it’s most basic, the New Yorker reported after traveling to the area to try different versions of the dish, but leave it to TikTok to add a some twists.
Here’s Your Bite’s recipe includes a few additional ingredients that pack in even more flavor to this pasta dish, while still keeping things simple (it’s the type of meal that can be made start-to-finish in about 30 minutes). They include two cloves of garlic in the recipe, to add that allium heat, and they also add a zip of acidity to the dish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Red pepper flakes make things spicy for those who like it, and all three ingredients help cut through the rich, cheesy sauce.
If you’re sick of eating loaf after loaf of zucchini bread and don’t feel like firing up the grill to make zucchini planks yet again, then Stanley Tucci’s favorite zucchini pasta recipe is a must-try.
In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty:
