Pasta with Zucchini

Golden zucchini slices sautéed in olive oil until tender, bound by a parmesan and pasta water emulsion. The pasta is coated in a glossy, creamy sauce infused with garlic and fresh basil.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 629
• Protein: 21 g
• Carbs: 81 g
• Fat: 26 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Spaghetti ( plain )
• 3 piece Zucchini ( thinly sliced into rounds )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 60 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 20 g Minimum butter sweet
• 10 piece Basil ( fresh leaves )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Vegetable preparation

   Wash the zucchini and slice them into very thin rounds. Mince the garlic cloves after removing the germ.

2. Sautéing zucchini

   Heat olive oil in a large pan. Toss in the zucchini. They should lightly brown and become translucent. Add the garlic halfway through so it doesn't burn.

3. Cooking pasta

   Plunge the spaghetti into boiling salted water. Cook them 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Keep a large bowl of pasta water before draining.

4. Binding and emulsion

   Add the pasta to the pan with the zucchini. Pour in a ladle of pasta water, the parmesan, and the butter. Stir vigorously over high heat until the sauce coats the pasta and becomes creamy.

5. Finishing

   Add hand-torn basil at the last moment. Finish with a turn of the pepper mill.

Chef's tips

• Pasta water is the secret: rich in starch, it creates the sauce when emulsified with the cheese.
• Don't overcook the zucchini; they should hold their shape slightly before melting into the pasta.

Storage

Eat immediately. Pasta loses its creaminess as it cools because the starch sets.