Pasta with zucchini shoots or taddi is a typical southern dish prepared just at this time after the first zucchini harvest.
The leaves of the zucchini plant and their sprouts called “taddi” or tenerumi are used to prepare this hot summer soup accompanied by short pasta.
This dish reminds me so much of my childhood when both my grandmother and my mother prepared it. I recall the steaming plate on the table, and like all children back then, I didn’t appreciate it much.
Today, however, I’ve grown up enough to start valuing and appreciating many of the typical dishes and flavors of the past.
Here is this dish prepared with short pasta, the “ditali,” just like my mother used to make, with small cubes of potato and added zucchini to make it richer and more appetizing. I must admit that it is really very good and tasty, and I enjoyed this soup.
Follow me in the recipe and discover this typical southern recipe for yourself. It is very simple and economical to prepare.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for Pasta with Zucchini Shoots or Taddi
- 2 bunches zucchini shoots or taddi (zucchini leaves)
- 2 Tomatoes
- 1 Fresh spring onion
- 1 clove Garlic
- 5 Zucchini flowers
- 2 Potatoes (small)
- 1 White zucchini
- to taste Olive oil
- 5.3 oz short pasta (ditali)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Grana Padano (grated)
Tools
- Pot
- Stovetop
Preparation for Pasta with Zucchini Shoots or Taddi
To prepare pasta with zucchini shoots or taddi, start by cleaning the shoots well, take the leaves and the tenderest stems and cut them into small pieces. Soak in water and then rinse very well under running water. Peel the potato, clean the zucchini, peel the garlic and fresh spring onion, wash the tomato, and then cut everything into cubes. Take a pan, pour some oil, and sauté the ingredients listed above, cut into cubes, for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
Drain the shoots and then add them to the pan, salt, stir, and continue to sauté over medium heat for a few more minutes. Add some water and continue cooking for about 15 minutes. When the vegetables are well cooked, it’s time to cook the pasta, you can do it in a separate pot, drain and then add to the sauce or cook the pasta directly in the sauce.
I preferred to cook it in the sauce to enhance the flavor, so add a little more hot water to the pan, salt, and continue cooking for the pasta minutes. Check during cooking if water is needed, it should not become too soupy.
Tips and Variations
Tips: cook the pasta directly in the vegetables and let it rest a few minutes before serving. It gains more flavor and prevents burning, also add a nice sprinkle of grated Grana Padano.
If you prefer a more red dish, add some more tomatoes or tomato sauce.
You can also use rice or cut spaghetti!
