Pasta and Zucchini alla Nerano (Campanian Spaghetti with Fried Zucchini and Provolone)

La storia di questo piatto

Born in Nerano, a quiet fishing hamlet on the Sorrentine coast, this is a dish of the Campanian table where sea air and mountain pastures meet in a single bowl. Its soul is the pairing of small summer zucchini and Provolone del Monaco, a love story told with the humblest of ingredients.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Spaghetti
• 600 g Small summer zucchini
• 210 g Provolone del Monaco DOP
• 30 g Grated Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
• 40 ml Extra virgin olive oil (raw and for the cream)
• 400 ml Peanut or high-oleic sunflower oil (for frying)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 piece Small fresh chili pepper (optional)
• 10 leaves Fresh basil
• 50 g Salt (8 g for the zucchini, 35 g for the cooking water, the rest at the end)
• 2 g Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Preparazione

1. Set a large pot with about 4 liters of water on the stove: it will be needed later, but it needs time to heat up. Cut the zucchini into thin sticks, about a finger's length, roughly 7–8 centimeters: the more regular and thin they are, the more evenly and crisply they will fry. Sprinkle them with about 8 g of coarse salt and let them rest for 15 minutes in a colander: they will release excess water, which must be drained off; this is the secret to a fry that stays crisp and doesn't go limp in the oil.
2. Pat the zucchini sticks thoroughly dry with paper towels, as moisture is the enemy of crispness. Heat the seed oil in a deep skillet with at least 2–3 cm of oil to 170–175°C: if you don't have a thermometer, a zucchini stick dropped into the oil should sizzle immediately with lively bubbles. Fry in batches, 3–4 minutes per batch, without overcrowding the pan, until golden and crisp. Drain immediately on paper towels and season lightly and gently while still hot. Set aside a handful of the nicest sticks to decorate the plate: they will stay crisp because they are added only at the end.
3. Cut the Provolone del Monaco into small cubes so it melts more quickly and without lumps. In a wide skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with the lightly crushed garlic cloves over low heat, without burning them, then remove them. When the water boils, salt it with about 35 g of coarse salt (it should be as salty as the sea) and add the spaghetti: cook 4–5 minutes less than the time indicated on the package, as they will finish cooking in the pan. Start the cream only at this point, keeping an eye on the pasta timer.
4. When about 4 minutes remain before the spaghetti is ready, reserve a generous cup of their hot cooking water. In the skillet with the infused oil, over very low heat, add the fried zucchini (except those set aside) and the cubed provolone, with the Parmigiano if using, and two ladles of the hot cooking water, stirring patiently: the cheese will slowly melt into a smooth cream. If the heat is too high the provolone will stretch and form strings, so keep the flame gentle. The zucchini softens in the cream: this is intended, it is the character of the dish.
5. Drain the spaghetti while still very al dente and transfer them immediately to the skillet with the provolone cream and zucchini, still dripping. Toss off the direct heat or over very low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring vigorously and adding a splash of cooking water if the cream tightens too much, plus a thread of extra virgin olive oil: it should be glossy and clinging, never dry or runny. Incorporate half of the basil leaves torn by hand and, if you like, a pinch of very finely chopped chili.
6. Arrange the spaghetti on warm plates, twirling them slightly with a fork for volume, then garnish with the crispy zucchini sticks set aside, the remaining basil leaves torn by hand (never cut with a knife, as it blackens and loses fragrance), a thread of raw extra virgin olive oil and, if desired, a grinding of black pepper. Serve immediately, as this dish is meant to be enjoyed hot, while the cream is still soft and the zucchini on top still crunch underfoot.