Zuccaghetti? Combine a seasonal overabundance of zucchini with a wicked Titan Julienne Peeler and you get long shreds of zucchini doing a fine job of pretending to be pasta.
Zuccaghetti with Lemon Caper Sauce
1 large, or 2 medium, zucchini
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoon capers, drained
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Use a julienne slicer or peeler to shred the zucchini into a colander. Toss with the saltand let drain for 10 minutes.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and has stopped foaming, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Add the zucchini and bell pepper and sauté until the zucchini is heated through and just starts to soften, about two minutes. Stir in the capers and lemon juice and bring to a simmer.
Serve immediately, topped with a little grated Parmesan and fresh ground pepper.
The Verdict:
This is a great side dish for summer meals. The zucchini “noodles” have a very similar texture to real pasta, so you can scratch that carb-craving itch without all the carbs.
The sauce was a little too acidic, maybe more butter and less lemon juice, or just less lemon juice. I think this would also be good as a main dish with a meat sauce.
The Nutrition:
The whole dish is only 6 Weight Watchers points for the butter and oil. An average serving would only be 2 or 3 points.
ONE YEAR AGO – Huli Huli Chicken
TWO YEARS AGO – Mixed Berry Pretzel Icebox Dessert
Very Clever! And much healthier than the Zucchini Bread I’m making to use it up. I’d eat sawdust if it had Lemon Caper Sauce on it.
Thanks – yet another inspirations from She Cooks He Cleans.
Yeah, that’s the nice thing about using veggies instead of pasta – you don’t feel so bad about using a naughtier sauce.
Now that is crazy, in a good way. Our local zucchini has been looking kind of weak this year.
I love zucchini noodles–but I prefer them uncooked. They retain a little crunch, almost like al dente pasta, especially tasty with an uncooked tomato sauce or served chilled with thai peanut sauce, ponzu, or even just a splash of chinese black vinegar.