Spaghetti alla Nerano
Spaghetti alla Nerano is a traditional Italian pasta dish from the Campania region, made with pasta, fried zucchini and provolone del Monaco.
Serving: 4
Calories: 525kcal
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti pasta
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, + extra for frying
- 4 baby zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, optional
- 3 oz Provolone del Monaco (or a mix of Parmesan cheese and Caciocavallo cheese), finely grated
- handful of fresh basil leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lightly salt the boiling water, and add in the spaghetti pasta. Cook until just halfway through the cooking time suggested on the package. Remove ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta cooking water from the pot, and set it aside.
- Cover the base of a large pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the zucchini slices in a single layer, and fry until golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate covered with kitchen paper, to absorb the oil in excess.
- Discard the frying oil from the pan. Add 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and the garlic, and cook over medium-low heat, until the garlic is golden, then remove the pan from the heat and discard the garlic.
- Drain the spaghetti, and add them to the pan with the garlic-infused oil. Continue cooking the pasta, adding a ladle of reserved pasta water at a time, until the pasta is al dente.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the grated provolone cheese and two spoonfuls of pasta cooking water to the bowl and mix quickly, adding more cooking water if necessary to ensure that the mixture mixes well, forming a cream.
- Finally, add the zucchini slices and basil leaves, and toss gently to combine all the ingredients. Serve immediately with freshly-cracked black pepper on top.
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Nutrition
Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 1.122mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1.148IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 3mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.