The zucchini. That vegetable used to only have one use in my house before Farmer Steve began delivering to our home. Zucchini bread. Once he started delivering regularly, the zucchini started stacking up. The resulting bread or muffins were always in the freezer ready to defrost. Eventually I had to find some other ways to use the stuff. Up until that point, all the kids would not eat it without the addition of sugar, flour and eggs. Then I found Deborah Madison and her Slow cooked zucchini coins and everyone, save one little one decided they could eat zucchini and like it without sugar and the rest.
And now I have fried zucchini spaghetti from Gwyneth's new book to fix and serve with the approval, ie. they eat it, of my family. Try it. It is simple, quick and fresh. It is another vegetarian dish to add to the week's line up.
Fried Zucchini Spaghetti (adapted from Paltrow's my father's daughter)
1 lb spaghetti
3 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tbs all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus more to serve
1/4 cup pasta water, to thin
freshly ground black pepper
hand full of fresh basil leaves
Boil spaghetti in salted water until just al dente. Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with flour. Heat
the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and add as much zucchini as will fit in a single layer. Cook, stirring and flipping occasionally, until well browned and a little crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove the zucchini to a plate and sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat until you have cooked all of the zucchini.
Meanwhile, whisk the cheese together with the remaining 2 tbs of olive oil in a large mising bowl. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the pasta water, adding a bit more if necessary. You want the consistency to be creamy. Drain the spaghetti and add to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Toss together, season with salt and pepper and fold in two-thirds of the fried zucchini and all of the basil.
To serve, portion the pasta into four shallow bowls and evenly distribute the rest of the zucchini on top of each, along with a couple grating of cheese.
This all should only take about a half hour.
