A Zippy, Zesty Little Ditty
Is anybody screaming zucchini “UNCLE” yet? I know that I am overwhelming you with all these zucchini recipes, right? Well, I suspect with all this social distancing, we’ve had a lot of time at home for the past few months and you must have started a garden, am I right? Well, if you did and if you’re growing zucchini, you’re going to want lots of ways to serve that most prolific of summer produce. Here’s another fresh and easy pasta recipe, featuring of course, zucchini. It’s Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti. This comes together really fast, so ready, set, cook!
This recipe also features lemon. I cannot resist pasta with lemon. The combination of lemon with zucchini is positively fresh and divine. A perfect summer dinner that you can put together in no time flat. The whole thing will be done in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.
Zucchini
The saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, well that goes for zucchinis too. The way zucchini is prepared makes all the difference in the world. The way zucchini is cut, I believe, really effects the taste. In this recipe, zucchini is sliced very thin, not like zoodles, but more like “zpapperdelle”. That is, the zucchini is sliced thin but is as wide as the zucchini. I like to use a mandolin, but you can slice them thinly with a knife. Perfection is not a requirement. That’s one of my favorite attributes in most things.
Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti with Crispy Garlic Topping
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and set on high. While the water is heating to a boil, prepare the sauce. Once the water is boiling, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
For the Crispy Topping
This is totally optional, but it adds a nice little crispy bite to the finish. Into a small pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 small very finely minced clove of garlic. Set the heat on medium and let the garlic infuse the oil. As soon as the oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs. Stir the pan often, letting the breadcrumbs get nicely toasted. Once golden brown, remove from the heat.
Back To The Saucing this Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti
Zest, then juice 1 or 2 lemons. You’ll need at least a tablespoon of zest. That’s usually about 2 lemons. Save 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, set aside.
Grate 1 cup of Parmesan or Romano cheese or 1/2 cup of each, plus extra for serving. Set aside.
Wash and trim the ends of 3-4 small zucchini. Slice thinly, to about 1/8 inch thick. Set aside.
Into a large saute pan, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 whole clove of garlic, smashed. Turn the heat on medium and let the oil heat while the garlic infuses the oil. Discard the garlic, then add the zucchini to the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Let the zucchini cook, stirring periodically, until it’s starting to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.
Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (or to taste) then mix to combine, turn off the heat. Next, add 1 cup of the grated cheese(s) and mix to combine.
Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to create a sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the zucchini. Using tongs, toss the pasta with the zucchini mixture. As the pasta sauce coats the spaghetti, add more water if needed to the sauce.
To Serve
This is best served family style in a big pasta bowl. Add the Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti, then top with a little of the reserved freshly grated cheese. Top with about 1/2 of the crispy topping. Serve with lemon wedges and the rest of the crispy topping on the side.
Enjoy!
Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, smashed
- 3 small zucchini, cut thinly, about 1/8 thick
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and lemon wedges, for serving
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese plus more, for serving
For the Crispy Topping
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and set on high.
- While the water is heating to a boil, prepare the crunchy topping and the sauce.
- Once the water is boiling, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
For the Crispy Topping
- Into a small pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 small very finely minced clove of garlic.
- Set the heat on medium and let the garlic infuse the oil.
- As soon as the oil is hot, add 1/3 cup of Panko bread crumbs.
- Stir the pan often, letting the breadcrumbs get nicely toasted. Once golden brown, remove from the heat and set aside until time to serve.
For the Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti
- Zest, then juice 1 or 2 lemons. You'll need at least a tablespoon of zest. That's usually about 2 lemons. Save 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, set aside.
- Grate 1 cup of Parmesan or Romano cheese or 1/2 cup of each, plus extra for serving. Set aside.
- Wash and trim the ends of 3-4 small zucchini. Slice thinly, to about 1/8 inch thick. Set aside.
- Into a large saute pan, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 whole clove of garlic, smashed. Turn the heat on medium and let the oil heat while the garlic infuses the oil.
- Discard the garlic, then add the zucchini to the pan.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.
- Let the zucchini cook, stirring periodically, until it's starting to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.
- Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (or to taste) then mix to combine, turn off the heat.
- Add 1 cup of the grated cheese(s) and mix to combine.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to create a sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the zucchini.
- Using tongs, toss the pasta with the zucchini mixture. As the pasta sauce coats the spaghetti, add more water if needed to the sauce.
To Serve
- This is best served family style in a big pasta bowl.
- Add the Lemon and Zucchini Spaghetti to a large serving bowl, then top with a little of the reserved freshly grated cheese.
- Sprinkle top with about 1/2 of the crispy topping.
- Serve with lemon wedges and the rest of the crispy topping on the side.
- Enjoy
