Spaghetti with Zucchini and Pecorino Cheese
This is one of my all-time favorite dishes: light, quick to prepare, and full of flavor. Until I discovered this dish and zucchini frittata, I was not a big fan of zucchini. But this dish makes zucchini shine. When zucchini arrive at the farmer’s market in great quantities in the summer, this is the perfect way to enjoy them. I first tasted this dish on a warm summer day in a garden in Puglia. Since then, I have tasted variants of it in other parts of the Italian south, but the Puglian recipe is somewhat lighter. The dish is perfect as a spring or summer lunch or as the opening course of a multicourse dinner. It is quick and easy to make and the flavor will impress. It pairs beautifully with a chilled Puglian rose.
4 servings
CostInexpensive
Total Timeunder 15 minutes
OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together, Formal Dinner Party
Recipe Courseappetizer, main course
Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, halal, kosher, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free, vegetarian
Five Ingredients or LessYes
Mealdinner, lunch
Type of Dishdry pasta, pasta
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup (236 mL) dry white wine
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 11 ounces (308 g) spaghetti
- 1 cup (236 mL) grated pecorino cheese, for sprinkling
Instructions
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In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and onions and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, or until most of the wine has evaporated. Season with the salt and pepper.
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Bring to a boil 4 quarts (3.8 L) of water. Salt the water generously, add the spaghetti, and cook to al dente, following the package directions. Drain and toss with the vegetable sauce.
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Serve hot, sprinkled with the pecorino cheese.
2010 Victorija Todorovska
