Tagliolini with Trombetta Zucchini and Basil Sauce

La storia di questo piatto

Born where the Ligurian hills tumble softly into the sea, this dish carries the soul of a coastline that has always known how to turn simplicity into grace — the trombetta zucchini, long and pale as morning light, growing wild along terraced gardens salted by the Riviera breeze, inseparable from the basil that Liguria guards like a sacred secret.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Fresh egg tagliolini
• 600 g Trombetta zucchini from Albenga
• 30 g Fresh Ligurian basil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil DOP Liguria
• 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano
• q.b. Sea salt
• q.b. Freshly ground black pepper
• 200 ml Pasta cooking water

Preparazione

1. Wash the trombetta zucchini thoroughly under cold water, then cut them into small cubes about one centimetre across — they don't need to be perfect, simplicity is beauty. Peel the garlic, crush it lightly with the palm of your hand: this releases its aromas immediately without turning bitter.
2. Pour the oil into a wide pan and set it over medium-low heat — this is where the secret lies, don't rush. Add the crushed garlic and listen carefully: when you catch a delicate, almost sweet aroma drifting up to your nose, that's the moment to remove it. If you let it darken, it becomes bitter and ruins everything.
3. Add the diced zucchini to the pan and stir gently — zucchini is delicate, don't press it. Cook over medium heat: you'll see the pieces gradually release their juice, creating a natural silky cream. Stir occasionally, every 3-4 minutes, allowing the bottom to colour slightly — this concentrates the flavours.
4. While the zucchini cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a good pinch of salt — the water should smell of the sea, so the pasta absorbs proper seasoning from within. Add the tagliolini according to package directions, but always taste a minute early: it should stay al dente, with a slight resistance to the bite.
5. When the zucchini is soft and creamy, tear the basil by hand from the stems — never chop it with a knife, which blackens and bitters it. Gently fold the basil into the sauce, taste, and adjust with salt and pepper to your preference.
6. Drain the pasta — but always reserve a ladle of cooking water, it's liquid gold for tossing. Add the tagliolini to the pan with the zucchini sauce, pour in that warm cooking water, and toss over low heat for a couple of minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon: the pasta and sauce will marry into one creamy, enveloping whole.
7. Plate the tagliolini — less is more, simplicity is elegance. Finish with generous shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano shaved fresh and a drizzle of fine extra virgin olive oil, fragrant with grass and hazelnut. Serve directly to the table while everything is still hot.