Spaghetti alla Nerano

 Spaghetti alla Nerano - Spaghetti with Courgettes and Provolone Cheese

I’ll let you into a secret. All my homemade pasta is made without eggs, so is vegan friendly, but it's just as easy to make and just as delicious to eat!

This week I have highlighted some of the recipes and food from the Amalfi Coast. So I am finishing the week with a dish called Spaghetti alla Nerano - named after the village in the Sorrento region.

Made with my homemade pasta it’s combined with fried courgettes and delicious provolone cheese that creates an amazing creamy texture.

Mangia, mangia! 👩🏻‍🍳

Spaghetti alla Nerano recipe:

Olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 courgettes, sliced into very thin rounds (use a mandolin if you have one)
200g spaghetti - fresh or dry
75g Provolone del Monaco cheese grated or pecorino/parmesan if you can’t find provolone
1tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
handful of basil leaves

Serves 2

1. In a pan add the olive oil and garlic and cook until it infuses the oil then remove.
2. Continue to fry the courgette slices until they are lightly browned. Do this in batches.
3. As they are done, lay them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Reserve a few courgette slices for garnishing.
5. Put the remaining courgettes in a bowl.
6. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, salt well, and add in the spaghetti. Cook until very al dente. Note if you are using fresh like me then just 2-3 mins is enough.
7. While the spaghetti is cooking, take a ladleful of pasta water, add this to the courgettes and purée the mixture.
8. Add the purée to a large serving bowl. Drain the pasta (reserving a cup of pasta water).
9. Add the pasta to the bowl with the purée with the grated cheese, butter and toss together. Add some pasta water if needed. Note you want the mixture to be creamy.
10. Check for seasoning and add if needed.
11. Serve with the reserved courgette slices and basil leaves.