**Fettuccine with Shredded Zucchini, Fresh Ricotta, and Lemon Zest: A Refreshing and Flavorful Summertime Dish**
Escape the ordinary with a culinary journey into the vibrant world of fettuccine with shredded zucchini, fresh ricotta, and lemon zest. This delectable dish, brimming with garden-fresh flavors, is a symphony of textures and tastes that will tantalize your palate and transport you to a sun-kissed Italian countryside. Dive into the delightful world of homemade pesto, where aromatic basil, nutty pine nuts, and tangy Parmesan cheese blend harmoniously, creating a vibrant sauce that coats each strand of fettuccine with an explosion of flavors. Discover the art of crafting fresh ricotta, a creamy and delicate cheese that adds a velvety touch to the dish, perfectly complementing the crisp zucchini and zesty lemon zest.
**Recipes Included:**
1. **Homemade Pesto:** Learn the secrets of creating a vibrant and flavorful pesto sauce using fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic.
2. **Fresh Ricotta Cheese:** Embark on a culinary adventure as you craft your own fresh ricotta cheese from scratch. This simple yet rewarding recipe yields a creamy and luscious cheese that adds a touch of elegance to the dish.
3. **Fettuccine with Shredded Zucchini, Fresh Ricotta, and Lemon Zest:** Indulge in a step-by-step guide to preparing this mouthwatering pasta dish. Discover the art of perfectly cooking fettuccine, incorporating the homemade pesto and fresh ricotta, and adding the finishing touch of shredded zucchini and lemon zest.
Prepare to be captivated by the vibrant flavors and textures of this summertime delight. Let your taste buds embark on a journey of discovery as you savor each bite of fettuccine, enveloped in a symphony of fresh herbs, creamy cheese, and citrusy zest.
LEMONY PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND FRESH HERBS
This simple pasta comes together quickly and makes use of what can sometimes be an overwhelming bumper crop of zucchini and other summer squash come August. Browning the squash in two batches is the only semi-fussy request, and it pays off by giving the squash an almost crunchy texture. Lemon and an abundance of fresh herbs provide brightness to this soon-to-be summer staple. Serve it with a tomato and onion salad dressed with plenty of grassy olive oil.
Provided by Colu Henry
Categories dinner, lunch, weekday, weeknight, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just under al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini or other squash: Season chunks with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the squash in one layer (you may need to do this in two batches) and cook undisturbed until it begins to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside. Taste and season again, if necessary.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until the garlic becomes translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the squash back to the pan along with the lemon juice and half the lemon zest. Toss to combine.
- Add the pasta to the skillet, and toss to combine. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the grated cheese, and toss until the cheese emulsifies and is silky. If needed, add an additional 1/4 cup pasta water or more to loosen. Add the fresh herbs and toss again. Top with additional herbs and the remaining lemon zest. Serve in bowls, and pass grated cheese at the table. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 421, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 62 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 15 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 509 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
FETTUCCINE WITH SHREDDED ZUCCHINI, FRESH RICOTTA, AND LEMON ZEST
I realize that this seems almost too simple to mention, but it is such a perfect dish, and a good solution to a high-summer extravagance of zucchini and mint. And unlike some pasta dishes, it is light enough for a first course. I grate an additional bit of lemon zest over the finished dish.
Provided by Liz Neumark
Categories Cheese Dairy Garlic Herb Pasta Vegetarian Kid-Friendly Quick & Easy Dinner Lunch Ricotta Lemon Mint Squash Zucchini Summer Healthy Noodle Parsley Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher Small Plates
Yield 4-6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place a large pot of water over high heat. When the water is at a rolling boil, add a big pinch of salt, drop in the fettucine, and stir. Cook the pasta, stirring from time to time, according to package directions for al dente, usually about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add the lemon zest and cook for 30 seconds longer. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the zucchini, and cook, stirring, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove and reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and quickly toss with the zucchini, parsley, and mint. Spoon on the ricotta and toss lightly again, add small amounts of the cooking water to lighten the cheese to the consistency you like, and serve.
FETTUCCINE WITH ZUCCHINI
Beautiful, glossy zucchini from the farm stand are to be treasured. Here they are diced, sautéed until tender, bolstered with garlic, pine nuts and Grana Padano, and mingled with fresh pasta.
Provided by Florence Fabricant
Categories dinner, easy, pastas, appetizer, main course
Time 1h20m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place zucchini in a colander, toss with salt and set aside to drain in sink or over a bowl 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy sauté pan, add onion, pine nuts and garlic and sauté over low heat about 10 minutes, until onion is soft and nuts start to brown. Rinse and drain zucchini and add to pan. Sauté about 20 minutes, until tender.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta, cook pasta about 3 minutes and drain, reserving about 1 cup pasta water. Add pasta to sauté pan, cook over low heat about 5 minutes, to blend ingredients, adding pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in parsley, cheese and additional olive oil and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 519, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 52 grams, Fat 29 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 17 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 549 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL
A summer pasta should be simple and fresh, ideally made with vegetables straight from the garden or market. Look for the best artisanal ricotta; top-quality ingredients make all the difference here.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, lunch, quick, weeknight, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
- Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
- Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 457, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 66 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 19 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 712 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams
Tips:
- Choose the right zucchini: Select small to medium-sized zucchini that are firm and have smooth skin. Avoid large zucchini as they tend to have a higher water content and can make the dish watery.
- Shred the zucchini properly: Use a grater with large holes to shred the zucchini. This will help create long, thin strands that will cook evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: When cooking the zucchini, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. This will prevent the zucchini from cooking evenly and becoming soggy.
- Cook the zucchini until tender: Cook the zucchini until it is tender but still has a slight bite to it. Overcooking the zucchini will make it mushy.
- Use fresh ricotta cheese: Fresh ricotta cheese is essential for this dish. It adds a creamy and tangy flavor that complements the zucchini and lemon zest perfectly.
- Grate the lemon zest finely: Use a fine grater to grate the lemon zest. This will help release the essential oils and flavor of the lemon.
- Season the dish to taste: Season the dish with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. You can also add a pinch of garlic powder or Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
Conclusion:
This fettuccine with shredded zucchini, fresh ricotta, and lemon zest is a light and refreshing pasta dish that is perfect for summer. The zucchini adds a delicate sweetness and crunch, while the ricotta cheese provides a creamy and tangy contrast. The lemon zest adds a bright and citrusy flavor that ties all the ingredients together. This dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends!
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