What a wonderful combination – fresh, cheesy, lemony, herby and of course with zucchini. This seems to be the summer vegetable whether it’s the star of a recipe, an ingredient in pasta, salads, or in savory and sweet dishes. I just happen to love zucchini and enjoy using it so many different ways so I never tire of it. It’s available year round, inexpensive, comes in different sizes and is easy to use.
This is a New York Times cooking recipe by one of the many contributors. I am always grateful for the reviews as it alerts me to what the recipe is all about. Thus, I made some changes like 4 oz. does not equal 3-1/2 cups of romano, only 1-1/2 cups. Also, be careful of how much salt you use.
Lemon-Pepper Zucchini Pasta with Dill and Romano
Recipe from Yewande Komolafe, Adapted by Judi Graber
- Kosher salt for the zucchini and black pepper (I used 4-pepper blend)
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch chunks and salted with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (I would add more zucchini as it does break down and it is so good)
- 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges (I did use a large lemon)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped (I would prefer basil) and more to garnish (I used chopped chives)
- 1 lb. spaghetti or linguine (I used only 12 oz. of fresh linguine which took only 2 minutes to cook) – save 2 cups of pasta water and use what you need
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp. white miso (I actually found a brand with 30% less sodium)
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 oz. pecorino or 1-1/2 cups finely grated – you could use Parmesan or a mixture of the two
Toss the zucchini with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt in a small bowl. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Pat the zucchini very dry and set aside. I always do it first in a kitchen towel and then pat dry with paper towels.
In a medium bowl zest the lemon and add the dill and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cut the lemon into wedges.
Cook the pasta according to package directions; reserve 2 cups water (use what you need), then drain the pasta.
Heat a large, deep skillet over high, then add the oil. Add the zucchini, spread in one layer and cook undisturbed until browned, 2-4 minutes. Watch carefully as you might want to turn down the heat. Flip the pieces and cook another minute. Transfer the zucchini to the bowl with the lemon zest and dill; toss together.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the miso, butter, garlic and enough pasta water. Whisk until the miso dissolved and the liquid is simmering, 1-3 minutes. Add the pasta, pecorino and zucchini mixture. Cook, stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce coats everything. Garnish with more dill and pepper if desired and serve with lemon wedges. I garnished with chopped chives.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Great summer pasta dish! Love the mix of lemon and cheese with the fried zucchini. The addition of white miso is very intriguing! I’ll keep it in mind next time I make similar pasta dish. 🙂
Thanks Ronit – the white miso got my attention. It gave the sauce that nice color and added to the flavor. Just didn’t care for the dill even though I love it 🙂
I love zucchini with pasta – I usually roast the zucchini but I bet it is delicious fried in olive oil and accented with lemon and dill/basil – I will have to try this!
I do too Terri – I have a number of recipes using this combination. The zucchini crisped up nicely in just a few minutes whereas roasting gives it a different texture. It’s a very tasty recipe but I would prefer basil over dill 🙂
Miso is such a useful condiment! No idea what romano is tho … ?? Cheese? A herb?
sherry
Miso is a delicious addition to this sauce. My recipe tells you what romano is – grated and sub Parmesan or combine the two. It’s a popular cheese here. I’m surprised you didn’t google the info 🙂
I know that Italians are conservative and strict about their pasta, but personally I love fusion recipes that use unusual ingredients. This one sounds quite tasty, though I’d probably also prefer basil instead of dill 🙂
The pasta linguine or little tongues is Italian and it is made with durum wheat. However, the author is from Nigeria and no attempt to claim this an Italian recipe. My sister married into a big family of Italians originating from Sicily and even with some traditional Italian pasta dishes they made there were also recipes such as this. Fusion is the American way… 🙂 Basil is a much better choice for me anyways.
Yum.