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Confit zucchini & basil linguine with goat cheese, pistachios and chili honey

Confit zucchini & basil linguine with goat cheese, pistachios and chili honey

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I've been patiently expanding my horizon but enough is enough, it's time for another pasta. This linguine will give you that glimpse of spring you so desperately need, and frankly deserve. We've had our first, and hopefully last, weekend of sub-zero temperatures in Amsterdam and while the snowman on our balcony brought a welcome change to the social fabric of our household of two, I think I can safely say I'm ready for spring now.

When I saw an Instagram ad for Stanley Tucci’s new TV show “Searching for Italy” there was a flash mention of a zucchini pasta eaten somewhere along the Amalfi coast. Science confirms that anything eaten along the Amalfi coast is per definition delicious and incidentally it reminded me that I’d actually made a banging zucchini pasta a while back. This inspiration has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I find Stanley Tucci low-key dreamy. Like not hot I guess, but also not NOT hot ya feel? I guess instagram knew.

Few notes before diving in: if you're not feeling the double cheese vibe, you'll have to work through that on your own, that’s not an emotion I’m familiar with. If you're not feeling the goat cheese vibe I'm sure feta or scamorza (!!) would make for lovely replacements. If you’re not too stoked about prepping the zucchini a day in advance, no problemo, I’m sure it’ll be delicious if you make it straight away too. Didn’t test that theory but hey I have a job you know, can’t go around testing recipes like a professional.

Ingredients #

For 2 people:

Method #

  1. Heat up some olive oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan of your choice. While that’s heating up thinly slice your zucchinis, and fry them in batches until they’re golden brown on both sides.

  2. Add them to a bowl with a few tablespoons (don’t be shy here) of good olive oil and half of your basil. Season with salt and place in the fridge to marinate for a few hours, or ideally overnight. If you don’ts gots time for that nonsense just don’t do it, and put the bowl aside for now.

  3. When you’re ready to eat: put a heavily salted pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package instructions.

  4. Roughly chop your pistachios and put them aside for later. Finely mince your garlic cloves and add them to a large saucepan (or favorite pasta-sauce-making-pan) with some olive oil and a teaspoon (or two) of chili flakes. While that’s frying gently, chop your marinated confit zucchini and basil finely and add it to your pan when the garlic is fragrant. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while preparing the rest.

  5. Add a little bit of olive oil to a small non-stick skillet and fry your goat cheese until it’s golden brown and crispy on both sides. While this is frying, mix some chili flakes and a tablespoon of honey together, you’re going to want to drizzle this over your pasta at the end so if you need to heat it up a little to make it runnier just put it in a small saucepan over low heat for a few minutes or if you own a microwave, nuking it for a few seconds will work too I assume.

  6. When your pasta is done cooking add it to the zucchini mixture, together with a few splashes of your cooking water, the remaining basil leaves, the crushed pistachios, a heaaapin mountain of parmesan cheese and some freshly ground pepper. Toss all of that together until you have a nice and almost creamy gloss on your pasta. Add a generous pinch of salt to taste.

  7. Plate your pasta with the crispy goat cheese on top and drizzle everything with your spicy honey. Finish with flaky salt and, I mean, if you have parmesan left I won’t be mad if you add some more now.

It’s cheesy, it’s herby, it’s spicy, it’s sweet, it’s good. Stanley knows it, I know it (because he told me in my dreams), and you know it. Give it a go and pretend like the sun is shining, your hay fever is raging and wearing Birkenstocks is once again accepted under the umbrella of fashionable nonchalance.