Imagine twirling your fork into a plate of perfectly cooked pasta, adorned with crispy speck and tender zucchini that promises to transport you straight to the rolling hills of Italy. This isn't just another pasta recipe - it's a culinary journey that combines the smoky richness of speck with the delicate freshness of zucchini in a dish that's both sophisticated and comfortingly simple. In just 25 minutes, you'll create a restaurant-worthy meal that will make your taste buds dance and your dinner guests incredibly impressed!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 300g pasta
- 150g speck, diced
- 2 medium zucchinis, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. The water should taste like seawater to properly season the pasta.
- While water is heating, prepare your ingredients: dice the speck into small cubes, slice zucchinis into thin rounds, and mince the garlic cloves.
- Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions, typically 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add diced speck to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to crisp and release its fat.
- Add sliced zucchinis to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until zucchinis are tender but still retain some bite.
- Drain the pasta and add directly to the skillet with speck and zucchinis. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water if needed to create a light sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a final crack of black pepper.
Tips
- Salt is your secret weapon: Ensure your pasta water is as salty as the sea to infuse flavor from the first moment of cooking.
- Reserve pasta water: The starchy liquid is liquid gold for creating a silky sauce that helps ingredients cling perfectly to your pasta.
- Don't overcook the zucchini: You want them tender but still with a slight bite to maintain texture and prevent mushiness.
- Use high-quality speck: The quality of the cured meat dramatically impacts the overall flavor of the dish.
- Grate your Parmesan fresh: Pre-grated cheese lacks the depth of flavor that freshly grated Parmesan provides.
- Serve immediately: This dish is best enjoyed hot, straight from the pan, to preserve the perfect texture of pasta and vegetables.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 539kcal
Carbohydrates: g
Protein: g
Fat: g
Saturated Fat: g
Cholesterol: 40mg
