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Pasta with fried zucchini and grated ricotta salata

Pasta With Fried Zucchini

Pasta with fried zucchini is a traditional Sicilian recipe made with simple, wholesome ingredients. This first course is very easy to prepare, yet incredibly flavorful, rich, and made with lots of love. I invite you to try this delicious Sicilian pasta and add it to your collection of favorite recipes!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, sicilian
Servings 4 people
Calories 393 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large pot
  • 1 Large skillet
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • Paper towels

Ingredients
 
 

  • 14 oz. Spaghetti
  • 3 medium size zucchini
  • 3 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for frying (Approximately)
  • Ricotta Salata, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Slice the zucchini into rounds, not too thick.
  • Wash the zucchini under cold water and dry them well with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
  • Add olive oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat.
  • When the oil is hot enough, start frying the zucchini. Fry the smaller zucchini slices until crispy. Set these aside to use as a garnish at the end.
  • Transfer the fried zucchini to a plate lined with paper towels. Make sure the zucchini are always frying in plenty of oil. Season the zucchini with salt to taste, but do not overdo it.
  • If you do not add salt at this stage, the zucchini will taste bland.
  • Bring a large pot of plenty of water to a boil for the pasta.
  • When the water begins to boil, add the pasta. Wait for the water to return to a boil, then add a pinch of salt and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
  • Grate some salted ricotta and set aside.
  • Set aside the remaining frying oil from the zucchini.
  • Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the zucchini frying oil while it is still hot. Toss the pasta in the pan for 4–5 minutes. Add some of the fried zucchini and toss everything together.
  • Serve with shavings of salted ricotta. Drizzle with a few drops of the zucchini frying oil.
  • Buon appetito!

Notes

This pasta with fried zucchini and ricotta salata is best served immediately. The fried zucchini quickly lose their crispness, while the pasta becomes soft and sticky as it sits. For the best texture, enjoy it hot or warm shortly after preparing it.
  • Use enough oil: The zucchini should fry in plenty of oil rather than sit in a thin layer. This helps them fry evenly and become crisp.
  • Do not overcrowd the pan: Fry the zucchini in batches if necessary. Too many slices at once will lower the oil temperature and make the zucchini soft and greasy.
  • Save the frying oil: The oil used to fry the zucchini is an important part of the recipe because it gives the pasta its distinctive zucchini flavor.
  • Salt the zucchini while warm: Season the fried zucchini as soon as they come out of the oil so the salt adheres properly.
  • Serve immediately: This pasta is meant to be enjoyed hot or warm. The fried zucchini lose their crispness and the pasta becomes sticky as it sits.

Nutrition

Serving: 80g | Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!