There are four quintessential Italian summer vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and zucchini. Of these, zucchini seems to get the least respect, maybe because zucchini plants are so incredibly prolific. New zucchini can literally sprout from one day to another, and the production can really get out of hand. I remember that … Read More
Carbonara di zucchine (Zucchini Carbonara)
As a longtime resident of Rome, carbonara is one of my very favorite pastas, but in the warmer weather it can be a bit heavy. One way to lighten things up is to make a vegetarian carbonara: substitute the pancetta (Italian bacon) with a vegetable, in this case zucchini, which has … Read More
Zucchine ripiene al forno (Stuffed Zucchini Boats)
It’s zucchini season again! Zucchini are sometimes dismissed as ‘bland’ but in fact their mild flavor can be put to good use. They make an ideal foil for all sorts of flavors, whether simmered in tomato sauce and marinated with herbs and vinegar or baked alla parmigiana. They also make … Read More
Zucchine alla parmigiana (Zucchini Parmesan)
Eggplant isn’t the only vegetable that you can make alla parmigiana, fried and baked in layers with a light tomato sauce, mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. Zucchine alla parmigiana, or Zucchini Parmesan, is almost as popular. It is a fine way to exalt the sometimes rather bland vegetable. While the delicate taste … Read More
Frittata di zucchine (Zucchini Frittata)
A frittata is another one of those dishes that lends itself well to the dog days of summer: quick and easy to prepare, amenable to eating hot or cold, and it keeps well, overnight or even longer. And, of course, it can accommodate an almost infinite variety of fillings that … Read More
Spaghetti con le zucchine (Spaghetti with Zucchini)
As we’ve seen before, pasta and vegetable dishes are a quick and easy solution for weeknight dinners, when you don’t have the time or the energy for anything fussy or fancy. This may be the easiest of them all: Spaghetti with Zucchini. Ingredients Serves 4-6 500g (1 lb) spaghetti 500g … Read More
