![Spaghetti alla Nerano](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/vf6LaZTAfL3PyVggjXg9JNLXmHw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Spaghetti-alla-Nerano-FT-MAG-RECIPE-0724-15bc8fcfd89f42428189abaf67380a4c.jpg)
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser
This simple spaghetti dish from Nerano, Italy, highlights the luscious texture and slightly sweet flavor of zucchini. Traditional versions call for pan-frying thinly sliced zucchini in multiple batches, but we found that a broiler makes it easy to get a golden-brown caramelized exterior in a fraction of the time. After a quick broil, a portion of the zucchini coins are slowly cooked down with pasta cooking liquid, butter, and cheese to form a creamy sauce.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
This spaghetti is best served immediately. The longer it sits after cooking, the sauce will thicken and become more pasty — still delicious, but less luxuriously silky.
Suggested pairing
Serve this zucchini pasta with a medium-bodied Italian white, such as Ronchi di Cialla Cialla Bianco.
Ingredients
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2 pounds zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick coins (about 7 cups)
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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
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6 ounces uncooked spaghetti
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
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2 ounces caciocavallo cheese, provolone piccante, or Fontina, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
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1/4 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup), plus more for garnish
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1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus small leaves for garnish
Directions
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Preheat oven to broil with rack 5 inches from heat. Toss together zucchini and 3 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Arrange zucchini coins in a single layer on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Broil zucchini, 1 pan at a time, until tender and browned, 5 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add spaghetti; cook 1 minute less than package instructions for al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid; set aside.
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Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Reserve 1/4 cup broiled zucchini coins for garnish. Add remaining zucchini coins to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is softened and some pieces begin to break apart, about 2 minutes. Add butter, garlic, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until garlic is light golden, about 3 minutes.
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Add 1/3 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to skillet; cook over medium, stirring constantly, until liquid is mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add cooked spaghetti and 1/3 cup pasta cooking liquid; stir, turning pasta constantly until well coated with zucchini mixture. Remove from heat; add caciocavallo, Parmigiano-Reggiano, sliced basil, and 1/3 cup pasta cooking liquid. Stir constantly until sauce thickens and pasta is evenly coated. (Add additional pasta cooking liquid if needed, 1/4 cup at a time, to thin sauce to desired consistency.)
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Garnish pasta with reserved zucchini coins, additional basil leaves, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.
Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, July 2024