I usually find zucchini pretty bland and boring, so when my girlfriend Heather generously unloads her vegetable garden on me every summer, I have to find ways to make it more exciting. Peeling it into ribbons and discarding the seeds makes it less watery, and also creates more surface area for the sauce to coat, almost like a pasta.
Ingredients
2-3 large zucchini (about 2 ½ pounds)*
2 tablespoons Pesto, best quality (I like the Rustichella D' Abruzzo brand Pesto Sauce Genovese, available at Balducci's or on Amazon)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Using a vegetable peeler, press firmly and peel zucchini into long, wide ribbons. Work your way around the zucchini and stop when you get to the seeds.
2. Lightly coat a non-stick pan with olive oil and heat to medium-high heat. Add the zucchini "noodles" to pan and gently stir for about 1-2 minutes, until just al dente.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cooked zucchini, pesto sauce, Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste (be sure to add enough salt to bring out all the flavors), then serve.
*Be sure to get the largest zucchini possible; it makes for nicer ribbons.
Ingredients
2-3 large zucchini (about 2 ½ pounds)*
2 tablespoons Pesto, best quality (I like the Rustichella D' Abruzzo brand Pesto Sauce Genovese, available at Balducci's or on Amazon)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Using a vegetable peeler, press firmly and peel zucchini into long, wide ribbons. Work your way around the zucchini and stop when you get to the seeds.
2. Lightly coat a non-stick pan with olive oil and heat to medium-high heat. Add the zucchini "noodles" to pan and gently stir for about 1-2 minutes, until just al dente.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cooked zucchini, pesto sauce, Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste (be sure to add enough salt to bring out all the flavors), then serve.
*Be sure to get the largest zucchini possible; it makes for nicer ribbons.
