Whoops. Wrong link for the MS fritters has now been corrected. My apologies and enjoy!
Happy summer, friends! It may be a little cool and damp here in Maine (as always feeling incredibly lucky to be here for a stretch), but that’s ok because I’ve got my Fougasse cardigan for coziness. Also, I made the fougasse recipe from the pattern to go with one of my favorite dishes, which I’m sharing with you today:
Spaghetti alla Nerano, first discovered on Food52 and then modified thanks to comments over there and the realities of the kitchen I’m cooking in for a bit. So, start with the recipe over on Food52 and to get my version modify it thus:
Use two cloves of garlic but only a 1/4 cup of oil, and after the garlics’ time in the oil, add them to the blender (or in my case bowl) to be whizzed up with the portion of zucchini for the sauce.
Yes, small zucchini are delightful for this recipe, but I’ve made this at all times of year with both large and small. If using the larger ones, I like to slice them in half lengthwise before slicing them into half moons.
Sauté the zucchini for longer than recommended in the recipe, until it’s a little brown and blistered on both sides.
After sautéing and removing the zucchini, add a tablespoon or two of the oil to the blender/bowl for a little added richness.
Make the whole box of spaghetti and be sure to salt the water generously (tablespoon of kosher salt, not teaspoon). Honestly, why are there recipes for less than a pound of pasta? I know, not everyone has a table full of ravenous pasta-holics, but it’s still odd to me.
In this rental cottage there is no blender, so I just mush the garlic, portion of zucchini, bit of cooking oil, and some of the pasta water together with a fork in the serving bowl. It’s more rustic but just as tasty. After it’s more or less mushed together, add in the pasta, grated cheese, butter, and some more pasta water to blend everything into a divine pile of food.
We always have Parmesan around and use that. For the butter I use about 2 tablespoons because how much is a “knob of butter” anyway?
I often use parsley instead of basil because I generally have it in hand and because I like its crisp, herbaceous quality. Basil *almost* seems like gilding the lily. YMMV.
Be sure to use a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
Serve with my fougasse and a glass of rosé (the preppy dork in me loves the pink and green combo). After a year and a half of bread baking, please note that I just dump all the ingredients in a bowl for this now (in the recipe I have you do things in stages) and then do a fold or two half an hour into the first rise.
I don’t seem to have a photo handy of the recipe, so you’ll just have to make it and see for yourself.
OK, so you’ll have that at least once a week all summer long and possibly all year. You’re welcome.
Another recipe that is in regular Dames dinner table rotation (and if I’m lucky, Kathleen leftover lunch) is this Greek-inflected recipe from Martha Stewart:
Zucchini Fritters and the only changes I make are to double the flour and serve with Cedar’s tzatziki, which I find in the produce section at a variety of grocery stores (and is tasty enough that I don’t feel the need to make my own, which is saying something). I’ve made them without lemon zest on occasion, and they are still good. And I usually grate the zucchini into a colander, toss with the salt and let drain for a bit before getting on with the mixing. We eat these as part of “Greek feast” which includes tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, feta, olives, oven fries, taramosalata (Krinos brand is very good), and some chicken broiled with olive oil, lemon, and oregano (for the more carnivorous in the family). Also, serving the fritters with other stuff increases the chances of leftovers for my lunch.
Those are my two favorite zucchini entrees, but I’ve got some recipes on a list to try out, including that new one from Smitten Kitchen that may be the lazy girl’s Nerano, and I’m on the lookout for the platonic ideal of zucchini bread, so if you’ve got a good recipe, share in the comments.
I hope all is well with you and that you are knitting enjoyable things. I’m trying to take the pressure off myself so am knitting the Forest Path Stole by Faina Latoutchaia in some Juniper Moon Farm Findley, a yarn I like very much (lace weight merino silk). It’s entrelac lace patterns, so this is a whole new experience for me. I’ll share some progress over on Instagram at some point.
There won’t be a new pattern for August (another taking the pressure off thing, so I can just relax up here in Maine and eat zucchini things), but I will check in on August 1st as I start to gear up for the end of my forties (September 13th will be the big 5-0).
Until then happy knitting and eating (and share your favorite summer recipes in the comments)!
xxoo, Kathleen