I vividly remember watching Stanley Tucci “In Search of Italy” several years ago and hearing him rave about his favorite pasta dish which was made with zucchini – Spaghetta alla Nerano. With zucchini in season (and it has a nice long season) it seemed appropriate to search out this recipe so you can make it on repeat all summer and into the fall. I know I will.

That Zucchini Spaghetti Stanley Tucci Loves (Spaghetti alla Nerano)

Recipe by John Mitzewich at All Recipes

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart sunflower oil, or as needed
  • 6 medium green zucchini
  • 4 ounces 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:

  1. Place sunflower oil in a deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees F. Slice zucchini into 1/8-inch rounds. (see Cook’s Notes)
  2. 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.
  3. Transfer cooled zucchini to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Serve with more grated cheese and fresh basil. Makes 2 servings.

Cook’s Notes:

  • Use any zucchini from your garden or the farmer’s market; different types and sizes are fine.
  • If your deep fryer is small, you can use a Dutch oven instead and fry more zucchini at a time.
  • You can add a clove of minced garlic when making the sauce if you want.

For more delicious zucchini recipes, check out our Recipe Archive.

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