YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING IF MY PUBLISHING TWO PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI RECIPES IN SUBSEQUENT WEEKS IS A SIGN OF EARLY ONSET DEMENTIA, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THERE IS A METHOD TO MY MADNESS. "CAPARASONS ARE ODIOUS," MRS. MALAPROP FAMOUSLY OPINED, BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE ILLUSTRATIVE. BOTH PASTA RECIPES SHARE THE SAME PRINCIPAL INGREDIENT, ZUCCHINI. YET THEY COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT. FOR LAST WEEK'S ITERATION, WE BROWNED GUANCIALE AND USED THE FAT TO COOK DISKS OF ZUCCHINI, WHICH ENRICHED THE DISH, GIVING IT A REAL HEFT. HERE, THE RICHNESS COMES FROM THE PASTA ITSELF, AN EGG PAPPARDELLE AND BUTTER, BUT FINISHED WITH LEMON ZEST, LEMON JUICE AND RIBBONS OF RAW ZUCCHINI, WHICH, BARELY COOKED, RETAINS ITS CRUNCH. THE RESULT, AS I HOPE YOU WILL SEE, IS A LIGHT AND ZINGY PASTA DISH; PERFECT FOR THE INSISTENT HEAT OF LOS ANGELES IN OUR GLOBALLY-WARMED SEPTEMBER.
SET A LARGE POT OF WATER TO BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY.
SOAK THE ZUCCHINI IN COLD WATER FOR 15 MINUTES, THEN SCRUB OFF ANY GRIT WITH A VEGETABLE BRUSH.
USE A MICROPLANE TO GRATE THE ZEST FROM A LEMON INTO A SMALL BOWL. SQUEEZE AND STRAIN THE JUICE INTO THE SAME BOWL.
TRIM THE ENDS OFF THE ZUCCHINI. USING A MANDOLIN, SLICE ZUCCHINI INTO THIN RIBBONS. (NOTE: USE A PROTECTIVE CHEF'S GLOVE OR A LEATHER WORK GLOVE SO YOU DON'T CUT YOURSELF!) STACK AND CUT THE RIBBONS INTO HALF BY 3-INCH PIECES.
GRATE THE PARMESAN. YOU'LL NEED ABOUT ONE AND A HALF CUPS.
BOIL THE PASTA AS DIRECTED. SCOOP OUT A CUP OF STARCHY PASTA WATER. DRAIN THE PASTA.
MELT 3TBSPS OF BUTTER IN 1TBSP OF OLIVE OIL IN THE PASTA POT. ADD A HALF A CUP OF THE PASTA WATER, THE LEMON JUICE AND ZEST, HALF A CUP OF PARMESAN, AND THE PAPPAREDELLE.
STIR VIGOROUSLY. THE MIXTURE WILL EMULSIFY AND BECOME CREAMY. STIR IN THE ZUCCHINI. ADD MORE PASTA WATER UNTIL YOU ACHIEVE THE TEXTURE YOU LIKE. STIR IN THE PARSLEY.
SERVE WITH MORE CHEESE ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
