The Pasta That Tastes Like Summer

Three ingredients doing all the work.

Zucchini, Parmesan, Basil. No need for cream. No garlic. Nothing fancy.

Stanley Tucci filmed the definitive version at Lo Scoglio on the Amalfi Coast, where the De Simone family have been making it for decades. The secret isn't in what you add. It’s all in the method.

Here’s how to make this for a deliciously simple lunch or supper this weekend…

Slice the zucchini into thin coins. Deep-fry in sunflower oil until properly golden, not pale, or timid. Then (this is the bit most recipes skip) rest them in the fridge. Overnight if you can, thirty minutes if you can't. The chill softens them into something almost jammy.

From there, boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until just shy of al dente. Warm the zucchini with a good glug of olive oil. Two ladles of starchy pasta water. Heat off. A generous handful of Parmesan tossed through until the sauce turns silky and clings. Tear the basil over the top. More cheese. Serve with something cold, pale, and Italian. Save this one for the weekend. Ingredients to follow