Life of Wry

A few days ago, I came across a cooking video where a heavily accented man makes a simple but fantastic looking pasta dish with fried zucchini. I watched it probably 5 times and decided I wanted to make it (as I do). The dish is Spaghetti alla Nerano. We made it last night.

Turns out this is a signature dish of Amalfi region of Italy. It comes from a coastal town called Nerano on the edge of the Sorrento Peninsula (near Naples). Just a few key ingredients: olive oil and butter, the fried thinly sliced zucs, pecorino romano cheese, parmesano-reggiano, garlic, basil, s/p. Here’s what they say about the cheese:

Traditionally, spaghetti alla nerano is made with Provolone del Monaco, a semi-hard cheese that’s difficult to find in the US. Your next best option is caciocavallo, but I had a hard time finding that as well, and the guy at the cheese stand told me to go for the third best, which is pecorino romano.

I got all the way through the prep and, as I was cleaning up a bit before the cooking began, split open the end of my right index finger when grabbing the slicing blade of the food processor. I bandaged it up and asked Jim if he’d do the cooking part. I was delighted he said yes.

The thinly sliced zucs (on right) are fried in the olive oil til browned. Butter is then added to the oil, garlic is smashed and infuses the olive oil/butter, then removed. Then the undercooked (just below al dente) spaghetti is added with some pasta water, the zucs come back, more butter’s added and finally the cheeses, which makes a rich sauce. Torn basil is thrown on top.

And the finished product:

It was honestly so good (!) and so..different. Very rich. Will make again.