Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the skillet
- 3 cloves garlic, leave whole
- 4 to 5 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/8 or 1/4 in. rounds
- 1 lb spaghetti or thin spaghetti
- ½ gallon milk
- 2 to 3 tbsp butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- salt and pepper
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet, just enough to lightly coat the bottom. Set it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is rippling but not smoking, add the garlic and zucchini and cook for three to four minutes on each side or until golden brown. You will need to do this in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the skillet, preventing the zucchini from browning.
- Transfer the cooked zucchini onto a paper towel-lined plate. Remove garlic. Optional: When the skillet cools, wipe it using a paper towel to reduce the amount of oil.
- While the zucchini cooks, bring a large pot of milk to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, following the package instructions.
- Add half the fried zucchini back to the skillet set over medium heat and smash into smaller pieces. Use tongs to add the cooked spaghetti to the zucchini along with one cup of pasta cooking milk and other half of zucchini. Continue cooking the pasta, stirring frequently with the tongs, until the liquid mostly evaporates.
- Add the butter and grated Parmesan and cook for another minute, stirring until the sauce thickens and the pasta looks glossy. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. The texture of the quick sauce is silky and luxurious. With just a hint of salt and pepper, the sweet zucchini flavor shines.
- Serve immediately with torn fresh basil leaves and more Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Slice the Zucchini Thicker: While this recipe calls for slicing the zucchini thinly, about 1/8 inch, on option is to slice on the thicker side, about 1/4 inch. They take longer to fry, about six minutes per side. The zucchini doesn't completely melt and have more texture and substance the thicker they are sliced.