The fountain of youth no doubt is a slurry of vegetable pasta and black coffee. At least that’s what Alice told me as she turned one hundred this weekend. KP and I went out to Seattle to visit his grandmother as she clicked over into a new category of impressive human: centenarian.
She is a beloved matriarch and we so enjoyed the weekend in Seattle, feasting on plenty of salmon, a Mariner’s sweep of the Twins, and coffee coffee coffee. The spring vegetables are rolling in from our CSA– to stay ahead of the greens, grate them into your pasta dishes!
Zucchini Pasta with Parmegiano Reggiano
Adapted from Food and Wine
3 zucchinis, grated on a cheese grater
Salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound spaghetti (I love the alternative pastas from Explore Cuisine for a gluten free option!)
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Put the zucchini in the oil and cook until soft. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the 1 cup of cheese, the basil and a generous pinch of pepper. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing well to coat. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and top with the crispy zucchini. Serve right away with lemon wedges and additional cheese.
