Having My Way With Zucchini

My two zucchini plants are producing like crazy and I can barely keep up with ideas for cooking them. I could eat pasta every single day and so it seemed natural to make a pasta dish with zucchini. I originally thought that I would saute zucchini and throw in a little cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, but then I remembered that I had a piece pancetta in the freezer. Along with some slivered garlic and a few egg yolks, what I ended up with was similar to a carbonara with zucchini (a traditional carbonara uses Pecorino Romano cheese and would not include basil).

Fettucini With Pancetta and Zucchini

1 small piece of pancetta (I used less then 1/4 pound)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, slivered
2 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced
2 egg yolks
fresh basil-about 6 leaves
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
4 ounces of good artisanal dried pasta (linguini or fettucine)-I love the Campofilone brand

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. You’ll want to time the pasta so it’s ready when the the pancetta/zucchini mixture is done. Cook pasta and save about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain the pasta.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes so that the pancetta is crispy and the fat is rendered. Add the garlic slivers and the zucchini and cook for an additional 2 minutes to 3 minutes.

In a small bowl mix together the egg yolks with the Parmigiano cheese and set aside. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss with pancetta and vegetables to coat. Remove from heat and add the egg yolks and stir quickly to cook the yolks. You don’t want the eggs to scramble so you have to do this off the heat. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to thin out the sauce. You may not need all of the water. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt if needed (taste before adding salt). Tear the basil leaves into pieces and sprinkle over pasta. Serve in warmed pasta bowls and top with additional cheese. Serves:2