Zucchini And Trottole Pasta Recipes

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions, but drain 1 minute before the end of the cooking time.
• Before draining, reserve about 1/2 of cooking water.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large pan (see notes) heat the olive oil, add the garlic and gently fry for about 30 seconds, until golden and fragrant.
• Add the zucchini to the pan, add salt and pepper and toss to combine. Start with 1/2 tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper, but after a few minutes check if you're happy with the seasoning.
• Fry the zucchini gently over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. You want the zucchini to turn slightly brown and absorb the flavor from the garlic, the oil, and the seasoning. Make sure you don't steam them. Cook until soft, 8-10 minutes should be enough.
• Add pasta to the zucchini, stir to combine. Then add parmesan, cream cheese, (or ricotta). Stir well to combine for about 1 minutes over medium-high heat. Add a few Tbsps of pasta cooking water to make it moist, if needed (see notes).
• Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes, if you like.

ZUCCHINI AND TROTTOLE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta in 5 quarts of boiling water until al dente (8 to 10 minutes), then drain. Set aside.
• Using a large frying pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic and zucchini in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add pasta sauce; simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add cooked pasta directly to pan and simmer until heated through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers.

SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season it generously with salt. Add the sliced lemons and blanch for 30 seconds. Using tongs, remove the lemons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Dry well.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat another 30 seconds. Add the shallots and garlic to the skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until fragrant and beginning to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the capers, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes and the blanched lemon slices and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to dissolve the anchovy paste and brown the lemons, for another 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and remaining teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until parts of the zucchini turn deep brown while some parts remain al dente, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than package directions, about 8 minutes. Add 1/3 cup pasta water to the skillet with the zucchini and stir to deglaze. Use a pair of tongs to remove the pasta directly to the skillet. Sprinkle the bare pasta with the Parmesan and toss well to coat the pasta with the zucchini sauce. (Some of the zucchini should have gotten rather soft, which helps to create a silky sauce.) Add another 1/2 cup pasta water if needed to maintain the sauce. Top the pasta with the herbs and feta and serve.

CARAMELIZED ZUCCHINI PASTA

Steps:

• In a large (at least 12-inch) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and oil. When it's foaming, add the zucchini, garlic, the basil stems and half the basil leaves. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and cook until pooling with liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the zucchini starts to sizzle, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Continue to cook until the zucchini is very soft, dark green, and reduced to about 1 cup, another 20 to 25 minutes. When you see a build up of browned bits on the skillet, add a couple tablespoons of water and stir, scraping up the browned bits. Repeat anytime more browning occurs. If you see burning, deglaze with water and lower the heat. (Caramelized zucchini can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week; it also freezes well.)
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the zucchini is about done, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta. If the zucchini is ready before the pasta, keep cooking it; the zucchini will only get better the longer it cooks.
• When the pasta's drained, remove the herb stems from the zucchini. Reduce the heat on the zucchini to medium, then add the pasta, 1 cup pasta water, and the Parmesan. Stir until the pasta is glossed with sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining basil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with more basil, Parmesan and black pepper.

FETTUCCINE WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Place zucchini in a colander, toss with salt and set aside to drain in sink or over a bowl 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy sauté pan, add onion, pine nuts and garlic and sauté over low heat about 10 minutes, until onion is soft and nuts start to brown. Rinse and drain zucchini and add to pan. Sauté about 20 minutes, until tender.
• Bring large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta, cook pasta about 3 minutes and drain, reserving about 1 cup pasta water. Add pasta to sauté pan, cook over low heat about 5 minutes, to blend ingredients, adding pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in parsley, cheese and additional olive oil and serve.

ZUCCHINI PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, onion and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper and adjust heat so onion and zucchini release their liquid without browning. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until very tender.
• Add tomatoes and their liquid to zucchini and raise heat a bit so mixture bubbles. Cook pasta until it is nearly but not quite tender. If sauce threatens to dry out, add a little pasta cooking water.
• Drain pasta and finish cooking it in sauce. Serve, garnished with parsley or Parmesan.