Courgette Spagbowl

pasta
vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 heavy pour of sunflower oil, as needed
  • 6 medium green zucchini
  • 100g spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

  • Place sunflower oil in a cast iron pan, covering the bottom by 1cm and heat to 175 degrees c. 
  • Slice zucchini into 1/8-inch rounds.
  • Add some zucchini to the hot oil and deep-fry until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a single layer on paper towels to drain and repeat to cook remaining zucchini. Let zucchini cool to room temperature.
  • Transfer cooled zucchini to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it’s 2 minutes away from being tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 10 minutes.
  • As you are cooking the spaghetti, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to release juices, soften, and break down, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a couple splashes of the pasta water to the zucchini, but don’t overdo it. Break zucchini into small pieces with the edge of a spoon or spatula. Reduce heat to low and toss in basil and butter; stir until butter melts.
  • Grab spaghetti with tongs and transfer it right into the sauce; stir until coated. Mix in Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. Add a final splash of pasta water and adjust salt if needed.
  • Serve with more grated cheese and fresh basil.

This recipe I originally found on the Chef John vlog. It’s a good one to prep in the weekend by making the courgettes, then you can have dinner on the table in the time it takes the pasta to cook for a mid-week meal.