(Surprisingly Wondrous) Zucchini Sauce, pasta, peppery watercress pesto
I wish that I had a clever name for this dish.
Pasta with Zucchini Sauce seems rather lackluster, a ho-hum title that belies its subtle garden-green flavors, its whipped up creamy texture–with nary a trace of cream!–and its overall brilliant use of the soon-to-be ubiquitous squash, which are already starting to show up at our farmers’ markets.
Rachel Roddy, a British ex-pat living in Rome for the last 7 years, and author of the splendid blog, Rachel Eats, deserves the kudos for this recipe, about which she posted in beguiling style here.
It is tribute to the Roman zukes, zucchine romanesche, whose appearance she likens to little zeppelins, or twee fluted Corinthian columns. Prepared in umpteen delectable ways–sauteed with tomatoes, stuffed with orzo, grilled and folded into a frittata, cut into batons and fried like pomme frites–the zucchini is prized in Roman cuisine for its versatility and taste.
While I am familiar with many of these preparations, I had never tasted, seen, even imagined zucchini braised in olive oil with garlic, and pureed into a lush green sauce for pasta.
With our community potluck looming, it seemed to be the perfect time to make it.
I followed Rachel’s lead–assembling the first of the summer green squashes. In place of garlic cloves, I substituted a bundle of spring garlic scapes, those delicious curly-ques clipped from forming bulbs. Beyond that, the list of ingredients is short–olive oil, a bit of butter, salt, pepper, water and white wine.
Plus, the pasta. Really, any shape you’d like will work.
Gigi had been praising Cipriani’s Tagliardi–imported, small, super-thin egg pasta rectangles that come boxed like some fabulous gift—so that’s what we chose as a base for the sauce. If you can find–try it. It is very very good.
Young zucchinis cut into rounds are piled into a heavy duty pot with the scapes; all are tossed well in olive oil, salt, and a dash of pepper. A small amount of butter—a knob, as Rachel likes to say—along with a slow braise, helps to coax out the zucchinis’ savory-sweetness.
It doesn’t take long for the squashes to release their inherent water. White wine simmered into the “soup” (indeed, this would be a terrific soup) adds depth, and a tinge of acidic bite. It’s important to check for salt—it is key in balancing the delicate taste.
An immersion blender handily whips this into a supple, somewhat airy sauce that still retains integrity. There are lively bits of squash flecked throughout. The color—ah. Beautiful, don’t you think? And the taste–surprisingly wondrous.
I hasten to add: In lieu of passing a few grindings of cracked black pepper over the pasta, I dotted the dish with Watercress Pesto. It is simply watercress, good olive oil, and salt. Another vibrant green, it adds a fresh peppery finish to the dish.
SURPRISINGLY WONDROUS ZUCCHINI SAUCE
½ c. Olive Oil
4 T. Butter
10 c. sliced Zucchini (5 lbs.)
1 c. chopped Garlic Scapes (1 bundle)
1 T. Sea Salt
1 c. White Wine
1 c. Water
immersion blender
1 lb. Tagliardi Pasta (or pasta of choice)
In a large (5-6qt. size) stock pot, heat olive oil and butter on medium. Add zucchini and garlic. Season with salt. Stir, coating the vegetables well. Saute for 5-7 minutes, as vegetables begin to soften.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Zucchini will collapse and release its liquid—becoming “soupy.” Add water and wine, and continue cooking uncovered for another 7 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender. Taste for salt.
In a separate large pot, cook pasta of choice according to package directions. (Tagliardi, thin egg pasta squares, require 4 minutes cooking time.)
Drain and return to pot. Spoon warm sauce over pasta, and fold throughout—gently coating the squares. Dot with peppery watercress pesto oil. Dust with cheese: parmesan or pecorino.
Serves a crowd at potluck!–or makes 8-10 generous servings
Not always easy to find at the grocer (but easily foraged in some creeks and riverbeds) watercress is crisp and peppery.
You could make an arugula pesto instead, if you are unable to locate the cress.
WATERCRESS PESTO
1 bundle fresh Watercress
1 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
pinch Sea Salt
Place all ingredients into a food processor fitted with the swivel blade and pulse until watercress is ground fine. The infused olive oil will be bright green. Keeps for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
Posted in Pastas, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables
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May 22nd, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Can I eat some NOW?!
May 22nd, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Oh I love the pasta! Like teeny tiny lasagne sheets :)
May 22nd, 2012 at 11:17 pm
Nancy – you are a star and a kindred spirit in that you think it’s surprisingly wondrous. With the watercress pesto it is inspired. You can’t find watercress here in Rome (it’s one of the things I miss, particularly as my parents live near a watercress farm and it was a staple on our table and tucked in our roast beef sandwiches), I wonder if a bit of rocket pesto might work?
Life with my 14th of sept baby continues to make me very happy but quite disorientated. Not coping that well with the sleep deprivation it has to be said.
big baci Rx
yes, that pasta!
May 23rd, 2012 at 2:32 am
This looks amazing. Have any zucchini and lentil recipes?
May 23rd, 2012 at 4:04 am
Fresh, bright and beautiful. The addition of watercress pesto is brillant, and the title of the recipe is perfect.
May 23rd, 2012 at 4:28 am
Madeleine–go and make it! now!
Nic–I know! Gigi and I want to make miniature lasagna-like appetizers with them. How crazy labor-intensive is that?
Rach–thanks again for this surprisingly wondrous recipe–yes, yes—arugula/rocket pesto would make an excellent substitute for the ‘cress. I wish you a good night’s sleep. My 14 Sept baby (Ms Madeleine, above) is going to have her first baby (due date 12/1!) so she, her husband, and this soon-to-be grandmom (when I go to help) will be joining the ranks of the mightily sleep deprived.
Heather–I don’t think I do—But this sauce would be good napped over lentils and quinoa, for instance.
Michele—thank you!
May 23rd, 2012 at 8:02 am
Yum! zucchini arrived in my CSA and is looking for a recipe where it can roost. This looks like it. I will head out to the Italian deli on Saturday to see if I can find any other those darling little sheets that you’ve prepared it with. Not a lot of water here to forage watercress but arugula as a substitute is perfect.
May 23rd, 2012 at 9:18 am
This is a very popular dish in Italy right now. I might try to make it this weekend!
May 23rd, 2012 at 9:31 am
Green on green, I love this! Such a great use of zucchini – not quite in the markets here, but soon I hope. And I’m going to keep this on the top of my list for when they arrive. I’ll have to keep an eye out for the tagliardi, too (might be a good excuse for a trip to Eataly… :)
May 23rd, 2012 at 11:11 am
I see this dish and I get sooo excited I cannot wait to get home to eat…….
May 23rd, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Oh my, just another reason to be sad about missing Third Thursday in May. I always miss the fun, relaxation with friends, the catching up on everything, the food when I cannot make it, but additionally I am sorry I missed this fantastically creative use of zucchini. I would have never, ever thought to make a sauce with it but now I will add this to my “how many ways can I prepare zucchini squash” this summer. Thanks for a great recipe my friend.
May 23rd, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Nancy, I love this because it’s super kid friendly too!! Xoxo
May 23rd, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Both you and Rachel inspire me on a regular basis. A post outlining your twist on a Rachel recipe is an extra special treat.
May 23rd, 2012 at 8:43 pm
i love pesto :) a healthier way for pasta!
Latest: Worst Shabu Ever
May 24th, 2012 at 2:46 am
Ooh yes, I do love a recipe for a courgette and if the slugs stay off ours I will need plenty. You did make me laugh with the reference to the knob of butter. Is this measurement particular to us English folk then?
May 24th, 2012 at 4:24 am
Kath–I think it is–I do like “knob” as a measurement–says exactly what it is! Best of luck with your garden.
GG–this one is very kid friendly, and you could eliminate the white wine if you wanted to–although the bit that is in there really adds a nice dimension to the sauce. Hope all is well with you and your family.
Nancy–I wish I could go to Eataly….
May 24th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
I love good meatless dishes!!! My husband is a vegetarian and this dish looks and sounds perfect for the whole family.
May 25th, 2012 at 6:06 am
One thing I remember as a gardener….I needed as many zucchini recipes as possible! :)
This one is surely a winner, Nancy. Fairly lo cal and simple to make. I do love the watercress pesto…such an underused vegetable. Usually as a garnish. I love the bite and it would be the perfect finishing touch for your pasta dish.
May 25th, 2012 at 7:31 am
I have pesto on my mind and this one comes at an appropriate time when there are a lot of courgettes in my fridge. What a treat this dish. Love it, Nancy!
May 25th, 2012 at 9:29 am
excellent way to use zucchini–we should incorporate this into our summer cooking camp curriculum.
May 25th, 2012 at 10:59 am
My all-time favorite and most-made recipe of yours is the Ode to Zephyr from a couple of years ago. It is my lunch nearly every week during the summer (I make a batch Sunday nights and eat it all week). When I can’t find zephyr, I use yellow squash and zucchini. I never get tired of its deliciousness.
So, I am super excited about *this* recipe, can’t wait to try it, and suspect it will be a good addition to my summer lunches!
May 25th, 2012 at 11:44 am
This looks wonderful – and I certainly have a lot of zucchini around these days! Thanks for the idea.
May 26th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
This is one of the best ways that I have seen to use up prolific zucchinis! Five pounds magically turned into a wonderous sauce!
May 27th, 2012 at 8:16 am
Wow. This is so different! I’ve made zucchini ribbons with pasta sauces, but never pasta sauces out of zucchini.
May 27th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
Good point, Mary. Maybe this could be the ultimate use: zucchini sauce on zucchini ribbons!
May 29th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
fun dish! I LOVE the shape of the noodles and the pesto looks great!
June 1st, 2012 at 7:47 am
When the taste is great the name doesn’t matter. The sauce is a terrific way to use zucchini.
June 4th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
oh this is like music to my ears! i always have leftover zucchini and this is perfect way to incorporate the veggie in your dish without being boring! So creative! i just love it and can’t wait to try! Sorry I have been MIA- was busy last 2 weeks but I’m back now! Hope you had a great weekend
June 5th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Zucchini sauce? Yeah! It sure sounds and looks great…I will definitely give this sauce a try…great for a weeknight dinner :)
Thanks for the recipe and hope you are having a wonderful week Nancy!
June 14th, 2012 at 9:14 pm
I made this tonight and sprinkled walnuts over the top with the parm. We had a salad of cucumber and yellow cherry tomatoes with a little salt and balsamic, and a cold white Bordeaux. Lovely!
June 15th, 2012 at 4:04 am
Sara–Walnuts on top, yes! terrific addition. I’m so glad you made this dish and enjoyed it. perfect meal, on the cusp of summer. thank you for letting me know.
June 27th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
With 10 small zucchini picked early this warm
morning
I now have a new recipe.
Zucchini bread one of my favorite with an addition
of pineapple – I make all the time.
Thank you…
July 7th, 2012 at 6:40 am
simply sensational. & amazing to read how you put it all together. zucchini is such a yummy veggie; thanks for including some of its history. here’s to good food made with love and attention.
October 2nd, 2012 at 9:19 am
[...] season’s squash, I return to a bookmarked post over at Good Food Matters. Nancy blogged her Suprisingly Wondrous Zucchini Sauce and by reading her post, I learned that her sauce was her own version of a dish done in Rome by [...]
July 13th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
I make this often. Today’s successful variation: using potato flour as a thickener for soup. Added another subtle layer of flavor deliciousness, and the soup has a really creamy texture. I am also adding a little shredded sorrel on top for an occasional lemon tart bite.
July 17th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Hi Sara–sounds like a terrific variation on the theme! I like the idea of adding the sorrel.