Sometimes it's nice to just have a lighter " no sauce" Pasta dish for dinner. This recipe , despite the no sauce is still flavorful and doesn't take hours of cooking . With the weather warming up, I like to go a bit lighter.
Now, before I get into the actual recipe, I wanted to make note of the 2 different ways you can ribbon your zucchini . This time, I used the mandolin to make thin slices ,making sure to turn onto the corner I've made of the zucchini each time I slice . That way, you get the smaller ribbons. Otherwise, you end up with all very wide ribbons of zucchini. Also, only slice the outer part of the zucchini and not the seeded center. Your ribbons will fall apart when sauteing if you use the seeded center.
The other tool you can use to ribbon is a zester like the one pictured below. I've used this as well and it makes the zucchini more " spaghetti like" . If you use the zester, I recommend using spaghetti or angel hair pasta with this recipe instead of linguine so the zucchini and pasta sizes are evenly matched. Use the smaller zesting holes at the top of the tool to get the spaghetti shape ribbons.
INGREDIENTS: Serves up to 8 people ( 4 if you use 1/2 lb of pasta)
2 TBS butter
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
3- 4 small Zucchini sliced with a mandolin or zester ( I recommend 4 zucchini if you use the whole pound/package of pasta)
1lb Sweet or Mild Ground Italian Sausage
1lb Linguine ( or Angel Hair Pasta)
1 cup Dry White Wine
1/4 - 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
1/4 - 1/2 cup of EVOO depending on how much pasta you make ( plus more to taste)
1 tsp Kosher Salt ( plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper
2 TBS Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley chopped up
1/2 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese for topping
Prep all ingredients, making sure to be careful if you use a Mandolin to watch your fingers! Those things are so sharp! I found out the hard way. Go slow and easy!
Heat butter in a large skillet on medium low and add half of the garlic once butter is melted. Saute for 1 minute. Add the zucchini to the pan and saute for 5 minutes. Use tongs to gently move zucchini and turn every other minute to cook evenly. Once done, remove zucchini to a plate and cover with foil . Start heating your pot of water for the pasta and bring to a boil.
Using the same pan , cook the Italian Sausage until cooked through, make sure to add the rest of the Garlic the last couple of minutes to finish cooking with the sausage. Pour the wine into the pan and let it cook down for about 8 to 10 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Stir occasionally.
Once your pasta is ready, reserve some of the water and drain your pasta, then add it directly to the pan of Sausage and combine thoroughly. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water. Add the zucchini back into the pan. Add the EVOO and then add the Salt, Black Pepper, and Crushed Red Pepper, Parsley and gently combine until well incorporated. Taste test to make sure it's seasoned to your liking. Then, add more seasoning if necessary.
Plate up your pasta and top off with Parmesan Cheese . Serve with a nice green salad and Mangia!!
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