Pasta alle Zucchine con Salsa di Peperoni

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Have you ever taken a bite that was pure perfection? Tonight's recipe afforded me this exact luxury. I once again, turned to my favorite pasta cookbook by Marlena Spieler for inspiration and came across this beautiful recipe for Pasta alle Zucchine con Salsa di Peperoni (Pasta with Courgettes and Red-pepper Sauce). I am always wowed by the brilliant simplicity of Marlena's recipes. She has an ability to turn the most basic ingredients into a meal that I am proud to serve. The best part is that preparing her dishes makes me feel like a culinary virtuoso instead of a novice. The following recipe was no exception.

Ingredients:

large jar of roasted red peppers (9 ounces)

1 ounce chives

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

5-8 leaves basil, thinly sliced

2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

dash of balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

4 courgettes (small zucchini), cut into bite-sized pieces

Finely chop peppers and place in bowl with chives, garlic, basil and half of olive oil. Season to taste with vinegar, salt and pepper and set aside.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Bring large pan of salted water to boil, add spaghetti and cook for about 4 minutes; add courgettes and continue to cook until spaghetti is just tender or al dente.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Drain, then toss pasta and courgettes with remaining olive oil and serve immediately, topping each portion with a dollop of red-pepper sauce.

The red-pepper sauce was amazing! The combination of flavors could not have been more balanced. The slight bitterness from the basil and garlic was balanced perfectly by the kosher salt and sweetness of the balsamic vinegar and peppers. The chives added freshness and texture to the sauce that paired perfectly with the spaghetti. I usually saute zucchini prior to adding it to my pasta dishes so I was curious to see how it would turn out when boiled right along with the pasta. This method worked so well that I will save myself a step and prepare it this way moving forward.

Brad and I liked this recipe so much that we kept making comments like "mmmmm" and "yum" between bites. I personally liked the dish enough to add it to my cooking repertoire. I can envision myself keeping a jar of red peppers on hand so I can prepare it at any time; especially in summer when I can run down to the garden to pick fresh garlic, chives, basil and zucchini. As a side note, I used organic ingredients with the exception of the pasta which was a high quality Italian spaghetti (but not organic). And, one final recommendation...... use more than a dollop of red-pepper sauce. It is so good that a dollop is just not enough.

Recipe Source:

"Pasta" by Marlena Spieler

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