Zucchini Linguine
Zucchini linguine is the perfect example of true Italian cooking, using few but quality ingredients. It is best when zucchini is in season. For me, it is one of my favorite spring and summer pastas. Zucchini is a light and delicate flavor that pairs beautifully with garlic oil and pasta.
The secret to this dish is salting the zucchini first. If you ever had bland zucchini you will know it needs a bit of help. Letting the zucchini sit with salt ahead of time allows the salt to penetrate the vegetable and flavor it from the inside. The seasoning will not stick if just quickly salted before cooking. This processes also removes a lot of the liquid, leaving you with a more tender zucchini.
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- 1 lb Linguine
- 1 Zucchini (large)
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 clove Garlic
- Prepare the zucchini
Cut the zucchini into rounds. Place in a bowl and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let rest for 30 minutes to release water and season the zucchini the whole way through.
Zucchini is watery and is hard for seasoning to absorb the whole way through. By allowing to sit with salt this will both remove water and flavor the zucchini to avoid it from being bland. - Boil the pasta
Add the pasta to a pot of well salted water and boil according to package directions.
- Cook the zucchini
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet along with the crushed garlic. Let the garlic simmer for a minute. Drain the water from the zucchini and add to the skillet. Cook until golden brown on each side
- Toss the pasta
Remove the pasta from the water and add directly to the zucchini. Toss to combine and add a small ladle of the pasta water.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.