Chef Ottolenghi is my new hero. A food genius with the innate ability to take any vegetable and make it shine in exciting and inventive ways you would never dream possible. Ways that inspire. Not to mention he makes a mean dessert.
This is an adaptation of his fried zucchini salad, a pasta salad he serves cold. I served it warm and called it dinner.
Bare-naked zucchini coins are deep fried and soaked with tangy, red wine vinegar.
Vibrant green edamame and whole-grain pasta add their familiar ‘al dente’ bite.
Torn chunks of mozzarella turn into gooey blobs of oozing cheese.
Capers dunked in hot oil sizzle and bloom like tiny, salty flowers.
Tossed all together with a traditional basil pesto sauce and I turn giddy with joy.
This deserves a place at your table. At every table. Go. I implore you. Make it in whatever way suits you.
Now.
You won’t be sorry.
Fried zucchini, capers, edamame, and gooey blobs of mozzarella are tossed with pesto sauce to make this unforgettable pasta.
INGREDIENTS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat (350 degrees F.). Fry zucchini slices in batches without crowding pan for 3 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a colander to drain then add to a large bowl and toss with vinegar. Fry the capers about 60 seconds, remove and drain on paper towels.
- In a separate large saucepan boil water and blanch edamame for 3 minutes and drain. Salt the water and cook pasta to al dente.
- Meanwhile in a food processor, combine half the basil, all of the parsley and olive oil, pulse until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
- Drain pasta and return to pan, add zucchini slices along with the capers, edamame, basil sauce, lemon zest, mozzarella and basil. Stir gently; taste and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes:
*Rather than deep-frying the zucchini, saute in a skillet with enough olive oil to cover bottom over medium-low heat until they just begin to wilt around the edges.
Adapted from Ottolenghi
Just bought PLENTY and loving everything in it – googled this recipe as I’m at work trying to make a grocery list 🙂 Love some of your adapted directions on it – thanks!
Ottolenghi also writes a column for The Guardian (you can google it) he gives out recipes that aren’t in his books. Have fun cooking out of Plenty! I love that book.
I am pasta freak and this recipe just rocks!
Sold at fried zucchini! Looks super addicting!