When life (or your garden) gives you too many zucchini, make this. And even if you have to buy your zucchini at the farmers' market, make this--you won't be sorry!
1 Pound Small Zucchini, sliced 1/8 inch thick with a mandoline
1/2 Teaspoon Table Salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 Tablespoon Extra-virgin Olive Oil
6 Ounces Spaghetti
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, cut with the Herb Scissors
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1 1/4 Ounces Mild Provolone Cheese or Trader Joe's Quattro Fromagio, shredded ( 1/3 cup)
3 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
- In large bowl, stir together zucchini, 2 tablespoons water, and salt. Cover and microwave until zucchini is softened (some slices will curl at edges) and liquid is released, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Drain zucchini in colander and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add zucchini and spread into even layer. Cook, stirring every 4 minutes and then reflattening into even layer, until zucchini is very tender and about half of slices are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes (it is OK if some pieces fall apart). (Zucchini can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Put pasta, 1/2t salt and water to cover in the Fasta Pasta and microwave for one minute less than the package directions cooking time. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and add to skillet with the zucchini.
- Add 3/4 cup reserved cooking water, butter, basil, and pepper to pasta. Set pot over low heat and cook, stirring and tossing pasta constantly, until ingredients are evenly distributed and butter is melted, about 1 minute. Off heat, add provolone and Parmesan. Stir vigorously until cheeses are melted and pasta is coated in creamy, lightly thickened sauce, about 1 minute, adjusting consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Transfer pasta to platter and serve immediately.
Be sure to use zucchini that are smaller than 8 ounces because they contain fewer seeds. Using a mandoline will make quick work of slicing the zucchini. Using the Fasta Pasta to cook the pasta gives you pasta water with a greater concentration of starch to thicken your sauce. Use a 1¼-ounce block of mild provolone from the deli counter rather than presliced cheese.
