Zucchini Ribbon Pasta
I love my pasta, I feel this fact is firmly established (see here for evidence). However occasionally, occasionally, I don't feel like pasta for dinner. Shocking, I know, but sometimes a girl just needs a bit more veg in her life. Enter, zucchini ribbon pasta... the best of both worlds.
On such nights that I feel veggie-inclined, I peel multiple zucchini into long strips, aiming for a pappardelle shaped pasta. How many zucchini do you need to peel to make a serving? I go for 3-4 medium zucchini per person if I want a big bowl, or 2 will make a more conservative meal.
Once they're all peeled I cook my zucchini ribbons in boiling, generously salted water for ~1 minute. After draining them into a colander I quickly rinse them under cold water to arrest the cooking process. It's as easy as that!
I find a rich sauce is needed to liven up the slightly bland flavour of the zucchini. Tomato and Tuna Sauce (which is what I photographed for this post), Bolognaise and Amatriciana all work beautifully. I am not sure how successful a lighter sauce or a pesto would be, but I'm all for trying them.
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So there you have it, zucchini ribbon pasta. It's a dish I cook every few weeks, for something light, vegelicious and a little different. It's ridiculously easy, and a fabulous way to get a bit more veg into your life.
To serve, I top my zucchini ribbon pasta with my desired pasta sauce, a handful of fresh basil if I'm lucky, some good quality parmesan and then twirl away...
