Spaghetti alla Nerano

Name: Spaghetti alla Nerano
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ultimate Pasta
Ingredients: 400 g spaghetti; 600 g zucchini; 80 g Provolone del Monaco; 40 g butter; 1 handful basil; for frying oil; to taste fine sea salt

25 minutes prep 35 minutes cook Serves 4

Spaghetti alla Nerano hails from the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast, a region where the sea meets the steep cliffs in a breathtaking embrace. This dish, a true product of its coastal roots, is often enjoyed as a summer delight when zucchini is at its peak, offering a taste of the season that locals and visitors alike savor.

The dish sings with the fresh sweetness of zucchini, mingling with the sharp, slightly piquant notes of Provolone del Monaco. Butter adds a creamy richness, while basil provides a fragrant lift, making each bite a harmonious blend of flavors. This is a dish where the simplicity of ingredients shines, delivering comfort and elegance in every forkful.

Ingredients

400 gspaghetti
600 gzucchini
80 gProvolone del Monaco
40 gbutter
1 handfulbasil
for fryingoil
to tastefine sea salt

Method

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of fine sea salt until the water tastes like the sea. This will season the spaghetti as it cooks, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish.
While the water is heating, slice the 600 g zucchini into thin rounds, about 3 mm thick. Heat enough frying oil in a wide pan to cover the bottom, then add the zucchini slices in batches. Fry them over medium-high heat until they are golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges, then remove and drain on paper towels. This frying process brings out the zucchini's sweetness and adds a subtle crunch.
In the same wide pan, melt 40 g of butter over medium heat. Add the fried zucchini back into the pan and toss them gently to coat in the butter. Tear a handful of basil leaves and add them to the pan, stirring to release their aroma and infuse the zucchini with a fresh, herbal note. Taste and adjust with fine sea salt if necessary.
Once the water is boiling, add 400 g of spaghetti. Cook the pasta until it's just shy of al dente, as it will finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining, which will be used to help bind the sauce to the pasta.
Transfer the drained spaghetti to the pan with the zucchini and butter. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to the pan and toss everything together over medium heat. The pasta should absorb some of the sauce, and the zucchini should cling to the strands. Grate 80 g of Provolone del Monaco over the pasta, stirring until it melts and creates a creamy coating.
Continue to toss the pasta, adding more pasta water if needed, until the sauce reaches a silky consistency and the spaghetti is perfectly al dente. Serve the Spaghetti alla Nerano hot, garnished with a few more fresh basil leaves for an extra burst of flavor.