Zucchini with Pine Nuts: Spaghetti

Zucchini with Pine Nuts: Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a fun food. Everyone likes spaghetti. But a dish need not actually be spaghetti to have the appeal and appearance of spaghetti.
The spaghetti look can be achieved by knives or slicers. With a knife or slicer in hand, the chef can whittle away at thicker foods. The food ends up in many slim, spaghetti-like pieces on the kitchen cutting board.
Spaghetti-style slicing is a fun way to serve a food. It is particularly fun when it is carried out with healthy, nutritious foods. A case in point may be made with the healthy, nutritious, thick zucchini.

julienned, or shredded, style of sliced zucchini: excellent for sautés

Ingredients for Zucchini with Pine Nuts

Here are the ingredients for a dish which involves slicing zucchini into spaghettistyle strips.

2 Tablespoons pine nuts (pinoli)
3 large zucchini (about 1 1/3 pounds)

• Note: For additional color contrast, substitute 1 yellow squash for the 3rd zucchini

1 head celery
1/2 - 1 pound mushrooms, whole or sliced

• personal preference:  porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis)

1 Tablespoon oil: EVOO or sunflower
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Optional: sprinkling of Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese (or any favorite cheese)

julienned celery

Instructions

Here is what needs to be done:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

• Add pine nuts to the skillet, cook, and stir often until toasted, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer toasted pine nuts to a plate and set to the side.

2. With a mandoline (or V-slicer, spiral slicer, or knife), cut zucchini (and yellow squash, if including) and celery into long thin julienne strips.

• When the seedy center of the zucchini is reached, set it aside. It is often soft and does not julienne well.
• Note: I save zucchini's seedy center, as well as leaves and bottom of celery stalks, for puréed stews.)

3. Heat sunflower oil and garlic over medium heat. Stir occasionally, for about 1-1/2 minutes, until the garlic is tender.

• Increasing heat to high, add zucchini, celery, and mushrooms. Stir occasionally. Keep on the burner for about 1 minute, when vegetables are heated but still al dente.
• Note:  Zucchini becomes mushy if overcooked.

4. Remove from the burner. Add pine nuts and pepper; stir all ingredients together. Transfer to serving bowl or individual plates.

• Note: If including Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, sprinkle desired amount or allow each diner to determine quantity according to personal choice.)

Serve hot to maximize deliciousness!

lemon zesty zucchini with garlic and toasted pine nuts: lemon zest as flavorful counterpoint to garlic

Variations

This recipe allows for infinite variations. Other favorite ingredients which often are added may include:

• Bamboo shoots;
• Carrots, filleted, julienned, or sliced widthwise into circles;
• Eggplants;
• Lemon zest;
• Pasta such as penne, rotini, or tagliatelle, which easily are cooked on a back burner;
• Peppers, julienned (Note: Use a medley of green, red, and yellow peppers for added color.);
• Radishes;
• Red onions, julienned;
• Snow peas;
• Water chestnuts;
• Zucchini flowers.

Zucchini flowers may be sautéed with julienned zucchini for additional color in Zucchini with Pine Nuts recipe.

cheery zucchini flower

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to:

• Talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the Internet;
• Teresa Giudice for generously sharing culinary treasures and family anecdotes in her beautiful cookbook, Skinny Italian.

My recipe is a variation of a popular recipe presented by Teresa Giudice, "Sautéed Zucchini 'Spaghetti' with Pine Nuts," on page 86 of her excellent Italian cook book, Skinny Italian.

Favored in Italian cuisine, porcini mushrooms may vary considerably in size.

Boletus edulis King Bolete

Zucchini may be shredded, or julienned, to match the stick slim silhouette of long pasta.