How to cook Zucchini?
Ciao Bellos & Bellas! I get questions about how I cook zucchini all the time so I’m sharing one of my favorite ways with you. Because August has started off with a bang for me I needed to make sure I had a recipe that was fast. If you like scroll directly to the recipe below.
August 1st, I was in LA walking the Red Carpet for “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” It is a beautiful movie of hope and love that I had small role in. While there I was asked to do a cooking segment on the CTV morning news as soon as I returned. Here is a go to recipe for me and I hope you enjoyed the cooking segment.
This dish can be made in 20 minutes and added to your own fresh pasta. If you’re looking to experience the satisfaction of making your own fresh pasta or pizza join my other beautiful guests at my September cooking classes. Just released and spots fill fast! Vancouver cooking classes
If you enjoy this recipe join the 950 members of the Family that receive a new one every 4 weeks.
Enjoy the dish, let me know how it turns out, but most importantly always remember to #EatwiththhoseyouLove TM
Pasta Boy Peter
Easy Pasta Sauce: Zucchini & Cherry tomato Sughetto (Lite sauce)
Serves 2
As with any recipe always use safe cooking procedures, & food safe practices. Health Canada is a great site for all food safe guidelines.
Ingredients:
200 to 250 grams of fresh handmade fettuccine, or a good dry broad noodle (you can use a short noodle such as penne as well)
If your looking for a local farmer’s market anywhere in British Columbia to buy your veggies this a great site.
1 Medium sized zucchini – Use a potato peeler and run it length wise down the Zucchini creating beautiful strips of zucchini which complement the fettuccine. If you’re using a short pasta cut the pasta into half-moon medallions.
1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes – Cut them in half
4 to 5 TBSP of Extra Virgin olive oil is a good start but I always dress to taste
¼ Cup of Fresh Parsley – Italian or Curly will work – Roughly Chopped
8 to 10 Leaves of Basil – Will be torn (don’t cut)
3 Cloves of Garlic finely minced
Pepperoncini (Chilli flakes) to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste
Equipment:
Large saute pan
Large boiling pot – Fill with 4 to 5 L of Water (you can get away with less if you have a smaller pot but you will need to stir the pasta much more to prevent sticking.)
Potato peeler
The Pasta Sauce
Add your Olive Oil to your pan and put the pan on a medium high heat.
Add your garlic and parsley to your pan.
Season with a light touch of salt and pepper.
When your garlic has just started to brown add a few pinches of pepperoncini. Stir the oil and then add your sliced tomatoes.
When the tomatoes start to release a bit of their juice, and the skin begins to shrivel, add your zucchini strips. Stir, and or toss, then cook them for 1 minute. Pull your pan off the heat and put to the side.
How to Cook the Fresh Pasta
When the pasta water has reached a rolling boil, add enough salt so that the water tastes like the Mediterranean. i.e. the sea – approximately 1 TBSP
Add Fresh Pasta
Set timer for 2 minutes and stir the pasta gently. Make sure the water has come back to a boil and if need be cover the pot for a moment. At two minutes taste to see if it is cooked. Not doughy but still al dente. You can add more boiling water from a kettle to bring it back to a boil quicker.
Bringing pasta and sauce together!
Return your sauce to a medium heat.
Add a 1/2 ladle of the salty pasta water to the sauce and stir it in
Save & set aside a ladle of pasta water.
Strain the pasta well and add it to the sauce. Tear in 3 quarters of your basil into the sauce and stir. Save the rest of the basil leaves to garnish with.
Toss or stir the pasta in the sauce for thirty seconds to a minute.
After the minute has passed, taste the pasta to make sure it is Al Dente if not add the saved pasta water & cook another thirty seconds to one minute.
Once the pasta is ready season with salt, pepper and pepperonicini flakes to taste. Stir. Plate your pasta.
Garnish using the remaining basil (again tear – do not chop!), a drizzle of good olive oil if you like, and add a heavy grating of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.
That’s it! An easy and tasty summer pasta recipe for you and yours. Another idea for how to cook zucchini is not at all. Try my Zucchini & Peach Salad from last year.If you like this recipe please share, like and comment then join me for a cooking class Vancouver.
You can also join the over 950 members of the Family that receive a recipe every 3 to 4 weeks in my Recipe & a Story newsletter.
Now go and always #EatwiththoseyouLove TM
Peter
Pasta Boy Peter – Cooking Classes Vancouver
Copyright Peter Ciuffa of Pasta Boy Peter Inc. 2019