From the Neighborhood newsletter July 2023, by Dario
Spaghetti Alla Nerano
Spaghetti Alla Nerano is a typical pasta of Campanian cuisine, usually served as a first course. This is spaghetti with fried courgettes and Provolone del Monaco cheese, but as an alternative you can use a regular Provolone cheese, or if you do not find it you can use Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. The recipe was created in 1952 in Nerano, a small village on the Sorrento peninsula, by the cook of the "Mariagrazia" restaurant; since then they have become a true cornerstone of Neapolitan cuisine.
Ingredients required are: good quality spaghetti that keeps cooking (La Molisana or De Cecco, you can find them at Albert Heijn), thinly sliced fresh zucchini and rigorously fried in extra virgin olive oil and of course Provolone cheese. The trick to having extremely creamy Spaghetti alla Nerano is to mix the ingredients with cooking water and seasoning, and adding the cheese with the heat off—the low temperature will create the creamy sauce. The Pasta Alla Nerano is perfect to make throughout the summer, when the courgettes are very fresh.
INGREDIENTS (approx. for 2 or 3 people)
320 g of spaghetti
700 g of courgettes
200 g of provolone cheese
2 cloves of garlic
extra virgin olive oil ( both for seasoning and for frying )
basil
salt
pepper
METHOD
First of all, wash the courgettes and cut them into 3 mm thin slices.
Dry them and then fry them in a pan with plenty of very hot extra virgin olive oil for about 2 minutes.
When you add the zucchini the oil must be hot and not cold.
The courgettes should be golden.
Then drain them on absorbent paper by patting them dry. Sprinkle with salt.
Finally, grate the provolone with a fine-hole grater.
Keep them apart separately.
In a pan, add a generous drizzle of oil and the peeled and crushed garlic cloves, fry for 1 minute, then add the fried courgettes and a handful of basil, cook everything together over low heat for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti for half the time indicated on the package and drain the pasta. Put the pasta into the pan with the olive oil and garlic, adding 1 ladle of the pasta cooking water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the zucchini. Mix well for another minute over medium heat, until the spaghetti is al dente and creamy.
At the end of cooking, take the pan off the heat but keep stirring for 15 – 20 seconds, then add the grated provolone. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking water if it is too dry. The dish must be creamy and blended.
Add some fresh basil leaves and mix again.
Your Spaghetti alla Nerano is ready!
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