Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 400 g fettuccine
Produce
- 400 g zucchini, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 15 g garlic, minced
Pantry and Dairy
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g pine nuts
- 50 g grana padano cheese, finely grated
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbohydrates
- 81 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 415 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 9 mg
- Potassium
- 572 mg
- Calcium
- 194 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 103 mg
- Phosphorus
- 377 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 36 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 17 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 2.7 mg
- Folate
- 46 mcg
- Water
- 111 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. The water should taste pleasantly salty like the sea.
Place a large dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast them, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer immediately to a small bowl to stop the cooking process.
Add the fettuccine to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually about 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve at least 100ml of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, return the large skillet to medium heat and pour in the extra virgin olive oil. Once shimmering, add the sliced zucchini. Cook until slightly softened and lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Transfer the cooked fettuccine directly into the skillet with the zucchini. Pour in 50ml of the reserved pasta water and sprinkle in half of the grated Grana Padano cheese. Toss vigorously with tongs to create a glossy sauce, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the mixture seems dry.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Toss in the toasted pine nuts and season generously with freshly cracked black pepper and salt to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining Grana Padano cheese.
Chef's Notes
- Slicing the zucchini into thin half-moons ensures it cooks quickly and intertwines perfectly with the long fettuccine noodles.
- Always toast pine nuts in a dry pan and watch them closely. Their high oil content causes them to burn in a matter of seconds once they start taking on color.
- Reserving pasta water is the secret to a cohesive dish. The starches leached from the pasta act as a binder between the olive oil and the Grana Padano cheese, creating a creamy sauce without the need for actual cream.
- For an extra layer of brightness, try finishing the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or olive oil to revive the sauce.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is broken, greasy, or clumpy
Cause: The pan was too hot when adding cheese, or there was a lack of starchy pasta water to bind the oils
Fix: Add a splash of hot pasta water and toss vigorously off the heat to bring the emulsion back together
Prevention: Add cheese gradually off direct heat and use plenty of hot, starchy pasta water to emulsify
Garlic tastes bitter
Cause: Garlic was cooked at too high a temperature or left in the pan too long before adding the pasta
Fix: Cannot be fixed if garlic is fully burnt, though extra cheese can mask mild bitterness
Prevention: Add garlic only in the last minute of sauteing the zucchini, keeping the heat moderate
Cultural Context
This style of vegetable-forward pasta is quintessential to Italian summer cooking, emphasizing high-quality, seasonal produce over heavy sauces. Grana Padano, a staple cheese originating from the Po River Valley in Northern Italy, adds a delicate, savory depth that perfectly complements the mild, grassy sweetness of summer zucchini.
