Spaghetti With Zucchini, Parsley Pesto and Bottarga

Spaghetti With Zucchini, Parsley Pesto and Bottarga
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Iah Pinkney
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(170)
Comments
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Bottarga, the salted, cured roe of grey mullet or tuna, is a delicacy enjoyed by many. It is especially beloved in Sardinia and Sicily, but is eaten throughout the Mediterranean and around the world. Bottarga has a bright, briny flavor and is used to complement any number of dishes. Here, a simple zucchini pasta with a bright green (cheeseless, nutless) parsley pesto is showered with grated bottarga and crisp bread crumbs. Look for bottarga at Italian shops or online. It’s available grated, but it is better to buy whole lobes and grate your own. Once the package is opened, it will keep for months in the refrigerator. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

    For the Pesto

    • 2cups roughly chopped parsley
    • 4garlic cloves, roughly chopped, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped green garlic
    • Salt and pepper
    • ¾cup extra-virgin olive oil

    For the Pasta

    • 1pound spaghetti
    • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2pounds medium zucchini, cut in ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
    • Salt and pepper
    • Large pinch of red-pepper flakes
    • 1teaspoon grated lemon zest
    • 4tablespoons grated bottarga (4 to 6 ounces)
    • About ½ cup toasted bread crumbs (see Note)
    • Lemon wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

685 calories; 40 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 23 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 71 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 736 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the pesto: Put parsley in a food processor or blender. Add garlic, a good pinch of salt, black pepper to taste, and olive oil. Whirl to make a smooth sauce. You should have about 1 cup of pesto.

  2. Step 2

    Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente, erring on the slightly underdone side.

  3. Step 3

    While the pasta cooks, put about 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the zucchini for about 2 minutes. Let it brown a little. Add salt, pepper, red-pepper flakes and lemon zest.

  4. Step 4

    Add drained pasta to skillet along with half the pesto. Toss everything together. Taste, and add more salt or pesto as needed. (Wrap and refrigerate any remaining pesto for up to 2 days or freeze for future use.)

  5. Step 5

    Divide pasta among individual plates and sprinkle generously with bottarga. Top with bread crumbs, and serve with lemon wedges.

Tip
  • To make toasted bread crumbs, combine 1 cup coarse bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

Ratings

4 out of 5
170 user ratings
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Comments

Why Americans love to put so many ingredients together when less would be better? If you have pesto with zucchini why add bottarga. Or if you crave bottarga the. Leave out the pesto!!!

@GBR:. Bottarga or other fish roes are not suitable for vegetarians because it is obtained from killed fish. Chicken or bird eggs are not obtained by killing the bird, so vegetarians find these acceptable. @Ritz, maybe try capers or minced olives?

I wonder if Kenji Lopez-Alt's seriously genius dried olive and miso crumble might be a good substitute? I've never had bottarga, BUT I love this recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/02/dried-olive-miso-rosemary-shake-parmesan-replacement-vegan.html

Quick and tasty! I used less olive oil for the pesto and cooked the zucchini at least 20 minutes, but it’s all a matter of preference.

I just made this with added walnuts to the pesto and pine nuts on top. No bottarga but used a tin of sardines and a bit of extra salt to get the fish and salt combo, super good. I am kinda obsessed with these tinned fish, veg, and pasta combos.

Okay, so I didn't make the precise recipe but a pasta nada version. I needed to use up some zucchini and I didn't have bottarga, bread crumbs, or spaghetti. I had some leftover pesto that already had some walnuts and cheese in it, and penne rigate. But I used lemon (actually lime) zest/red pepper seasoning on the zucchini, added some capers in place of bottarga, and liked the results. It did take longer than 2 minutes to get the zucchini golden and tender. Will definitely make again.

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