Nerano, Campania
Spaghetti alla Nerano
A summer classic and a Stanley Tucci favorite, named for Nerano, a small village on the Sorrento coast. Like most Italian recipes, it’s just a few simple, quality ingredients.
Makes
4 servings
Level
Grown-up leads
Kids cook with a grown-up. Hot ovens, boiling water and frying are grown-up jobs, and sharp knives need a grown-up’s hands too.
Bella’s job
Slice the zucchini with her kid-safe knife while a grown-up holds the zucchini steady, then taste the finished plate. Frying and the hot pan are grown-up jobs.
Ingredients
Spaghetti or linguine: 1 lb
Zucchini: 5 to 6
Garlic: 1 to 2 cloves (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil: about 2 cups, for frying
Grass-fed unsalted butter: 1 teaspoon
Basil: a handful
Salt, to taste
Parmesan or pecorino, or both: about 1 cup grated
Method
Slice the zucchini thin, about 1/8 inch.
Heat the olive oil to 350 degrees F and fry the zucchini in batches until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Don’t crowd the pan.
Line a bowl with paper towels, add basil, then the zucchini. Chill a few hours or overnight so it soaks up the basil.
Boil the pasta in salted water. A couple of minutes before al dente, lift it out with tongs and keep the pasta water.
Warm a little olive oil and butter with the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, then take the garlic out.
Add the zucchini and some salt, then the pasta and a ladle of pasta water. Toss until it comes together.
Toss in the cheese, plate, and finish with basil and more cheese.
