Zucchini Carbonara
Everyone knows carbonara, a dish that represents us even abroad, a symbol of Roman cuisine.
A simple recipe with few ingredients that often sparks lively debates: spaghetti yes/short pasta no, woe to those who use onion (though some do!), avoid customizations (like adding cream), never finish cooking over the heat etc…
That said I already know I will provoke criticism with my proposal today: the vegetarian Carbonara.
Some will say: you could have called it pasta with egg and zucchini, but no — the method is the same and I decided to call it the “Wrong Carbonara”!!!
A vegetarian alternative, milder and lighter, prepared using a short whole-wheat pasta that is perfect for holding the egg-and-zucchini sauce.
Why this unholy idea? On the occasion of World Pasta Day that this year has the theme “pasta of the future” chefs and bloggers were given some pointers about new trends to use as inspiration for creating the #pasta2050 dish.
Among these, those that inspired me are:
– “I EAT ETHICALLY: pasta, vegetables and sustainability”. Pasta will increasingly meet garden produce, in the name of a new “green” taste. Many traditional recipes over the course of a few decades will give way to new vegetable-based classics.
– “I EAT GLOBALLY: pasta fusion, a world of influences” — versatile and global. If there is a food able to adapt to different cultural traditions it is certainly pasta. So don’t be surprised if in Arab countries they don’t use guanciale for Carbonara, but they will in any case continue to prefer it al dente, an indispensable characteristic at every latitude.
– “I EAT SIMPLE: pasta ever more essential and healthy” — or as the English say, Less is more: from portion reduction to a short list of ingredients.
Well now that I’ve explained what led me to reproduce this recipe, Romans don’t be offended, let’s see how to prepare it.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Low cost
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 11 oz Pasta
- 7 oz Zucchini
- 5 Egg yolks (very fresh)
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
Tools
- Bowl
- Skillet
- Pot
- Ladle
- Grater
Preparation
First, take care of the zucchini.
Wash them and trim the ends, then cut them into sticks.
In a large nonstick skillet put 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and when it reaches temperature add the zucchini.
Sauté for about 5-6 minutes over high heat; they should cook but remain crisp.Meanwhile, in a bowl pour the egg yolks, the pepper and the pecorino and mix the ingredients using a whisk. In the meantime bring a pot of salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the package.Season the zucchini with salt and pepper and when the pasta is cooked, but still slightly al dente, drain it directly into the skillet with the zucchini and toss quickly.
At this point turn off the heat and combine the pasta and zucchini with the egg, pepper and pecorino mixture.
Stir again to blend everything. Before serving garnish the plates with shavings of pecorino.
Please note this dish should be enjoyed immediately after preparation.
VARIATIONS AND TIPS
You can try replacing the zucchini with other vegetables such as eggplant or artichokes.
If for you carbonara is only the one with guanciale, I partly understand you, but try enriching it by adding zucchini — you’ll see how good it is.
And for those who want to try something truly tasty I suggest porcini mushroom carbonara, another Italian excellence envied by the whole world!
