Spaghetti Alla Nerano: Stanley Tucci's Favourite Courgette Pasta

Name: Spaghetti Alla Nerano: Stanley Tucci's Favourite Courgette Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 clove garlic; 1 generous glug of olive oil; 2 courgettes, sliced into very thin rounds; Salt and pepper; 250g spaghetti or bucatini; 80g Parmesan, grated; 1 knob of cold, unsalted butter

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This is one of my favourite summer pasta dishes. Spaghetti alla Nerano was made famous by the restaurant Maria Grazia. The exact recipe is a heavily guarded family secret but this is my version of it. The creaminess comes from whizzing some of the fried courgette with some pasta water, a little cold butter into a silky creamy sauce. It’s so so good!

Spaghetti alla Nerano is a traditional Italian pasta dish from the village of Nerano on the Amalfi Coast. The restaurant's chef, Maria Grazia herself, created this dish by frying zucchini from her garden and then mixing them with pasta, creating this perfect pasta. It’s now famous for being Stanley Tucci’s favourite pasta, featured in his series Searching For Italy, where he cooks this pasta at an authentic Italian restaurant named Lo Scoglio and falls in love with it. This is our version of it. I had Stanley Tucci on the Desert Island Dishes podcast and he also talks about this favourite weeknight pasta of his with tomatoes and beans.

Why you'll love Spaghetti Alla Nerano

This recipe is not entirely traditional which means that it's a little more weeknight-friendly, very simple and still so delicious.
It requires very few ingredients - 5 ingredients + salt, pepper and olive oil, which all are things most people will have in their cupboards already.
Stanley Tucci loves this pasta, which frankly is as good a reason as any to try it since he is a real Italian/good food connoisseur.

You will need the following ingredients:

Garlic - you don't want to substitute with dried or powdered here as it won't work with the freshness of the dish

Olive oil – it doesn’t need to be your finest extra virgin olive oil but make sure it is olive oil as it is a key part of the dish. Since there are so few ingredients, each one should be a good one ideally!

Courgettes – small courgettes tend to have the best flavour and if you can find green and yellow courgettes in the peak of summer, even better as it will look gorgeous but this is definitely not necessary. Usual green courgettes will work, even if not small!

Salt – I always use Maldon salt, except for when salting pasta water. Then you can just use regular table salt as it dissolves into the water anyway so don’t need to use your expensive salt.

Pepper

Spaghetti – I tend to reach for spaghetti as that’s what I have in and I believe it’s traditionally made with that shape but bucatini would be perfect here too

Parmesan – you need a hefty grating of parmesan. Just remember that real Parmigiano Reggiano DOP is not vegetarian as it contains animal rennet so just be sure to check that if you are after a vegetarian recipe.

Unsalted butter – needs to be cold from the fridge but can be salted if it’s all you have on hand. Just use real butter please and not spread/margarine.

Substitutions and Variations

Pasta shape: I like spaghetti here and traditionally it is with spaghetti but you could use other shapes too. A longer shape does work well as the sauce sticks nicely to it – I love bucatini, but use what you like and will still be delicious.

Here's how to make this simple Spaghetti Alla Nerano

The full recipe is below but here are a few step-by-step images to help you make this dish. It's a simplified version to the classic and I really love it for that reason.

ONE: Thinly slice the courgettes and set aside. I used a knife but I would suggest a mandolin if you have one as it ensures even slices and is super quick. Just make sure to use the safety guard.

infusing olive oil with a whole garlic clove

TWO: 2. In a pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic clove and olive oil so the mixture sizzles and the oil gets infused by the garlic. When just golden, remove from the pan.

frying courgettes for spaghetti alla nerano

THREE: Add the courgettes to the frying pan with the garlic oil and fry until tender but not brown.

blending courgettes for spaghetti alla nerano

FOUR: 4. Drain the courgette on paper towels and season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Keep warm. Blend together about a third of the courgette and about 60 ml of pasta water.

tossing the sauce together for spaghetti alla nerano

FIVE: Drain the spaghetti, then return to the pan with the blended sauce, cheese, and a knob of cold butter. Quickly toss, using tongs or a spatula to help you

SIX: Keep tossing until you have a glossy sauce. Scoop into bowls, top with the remaining fried courgette and more parm on top.

Cooking Tips

Slicing the courgettes: I do recommend a mandolin here, it’s a great kitchen tool. I used a knife but I know not everyone feels as confident with a knife to get thin slcies, which is why I recommend the mandolin. You can use a knife though of course!

Another option is to use a vegetable peeler to create very thin strips of courgette. Run the peeler along the length of the courgette to produce long, thin ribbons. This is less traditional and won’t look like the image above but it will still be delicious.

Frying the courgettes: When frying them in the glug of olive oil, the courgettes shouldn’t gain any colour for this recipe, they should just be tender and cooked, infused with the garlic oil. Some recipes will call for golden courgettes but I find this a bit of a faff since you then have to fry in batches so I like my version in the recipe below.

Tossing the pasta: The key to creating the silky, creamy sauce is to toss REALLY well when the parmesan, courgette sauce and butter meet the pasta. Use tongs and move the pan around and continue until the sauce forms. You need enough starch out of the pasta, along with the butter and cheese, to emulsify which then forms that silky sauce. There needs to be vigorous tossing of pasta in order for that to happen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to thinly slice a courgette with a mandolin?

Rinse the courgette under cold water to remove any dirt or residue. Pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut off both ends of the courgette using a sharp knife. Then set the mandoline to your chosen thickness and run the courgette along the blade to create thin, even slices. Remember to use the guard to protect your fingers or a metal glove as they can be lethal tools!

Is this recipe vegetarian?

If you make sure to use vegetarian-friendly Parmesan or equivalent then yes, this recipe can be vegetarian.

More recipes to try

If you want more Stanley Tucci pasta, might we recommend checking our Stanley Tucci Tomato & Bean Pasta, an Italian staple full of fibre and good veg, it’s an easy recipe for a weeknight. If you love courgettes and want to make the most of them when they are at their peak, this creamy courgette pasta is simpler than Spaghetti alla Nerano and doesn’t require separate frying of the courgette. You’ll love it. Or if you just love Stanley Tucci, try my recipe for his favourite sandwich with mozzarella, prosciutto, pesto and tomato.

Made this recipe and loved it?

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