Pasta with Zucchini, Parmesan and Garlic Oil

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What do you get when finely shredded zucchini is tossed with Aglio e Olio? In my kitchen it becomes an easy entrée that's perfect for a Meatless Monday meal. If you have a julienne peeler to use for shredding the zucchini, you can have this dish on the table in about 20 minutes. I'm not much for kitchen gadgets, but this is one I heartily recommend you add to your inventory. If you haven't seen one of these, you can find one here. I'm not affiliated with these people and my purpose in featuring the peeler is to simplify food preparation rather than sell a kitchen tool. Zucchini that is finely julienned needs no cooking and can be tossed with hot pasta without additional fussing. It helps, however, to have the vegetables at room temperature if you take this route. It's important when you make a dish as simple as this to use ingredients of the highest possible quality. Fortunately, that does not always mean the most expensive. I always serve this pasta with focaccia bread and a crisp green salad to add a bit of texture to the meal. I know you'll enjoy this very easy dish. Here's the recipe.

Pasta with Zucchini, Parmesan and Garlic Oil...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. dried spaghetti
1 (8-oz.) zucchini, finely julienned
1 (8-oz.) yellow squash, finely julienned
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley or fresh basil
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Bring large pot of water to boil; add salt. Add pasta. Cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
2) Season zucchini and squash with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3) Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic. Sauté briefly, until light brown. Add pepper flakes and basil or parsley. Mix well. Remove from heat.
4) When pasta is done, drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pan. Add zucchini, reserved 1/4 cup oil, garlic mixture from step 3, and 1/2 cup cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese and serve at once. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fusilli with Walnuts and Garlic Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Penne with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Pasta Puttanesca - One Perfect Bite
Fresh Garden Vegetables with Pasta - Living the Gourmet
Cold Sesame Noodles - The Parsley Thief
Rigatoni Peperonata - The Comfort of Cooking

Baked Portobello Parmesan - A Dieter's Delight - Foodie Friday

Portobello Parm before and after baking.


From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an old competition recipe. I give it new life each January as part of a regime to mend holiday excesses and restrict fat and caloric intake, at least until we're back in shape. I love the bold flavors of meat or vegetable Parmesan, but the amount of oil used in standard preparations meant we couldn't have it often, if at all. The whole purpose of this recipe was to come up with a variation that would require no frying and, if possible, use no meat or poultry. I had, for several years, grilled portobello mushrooms and was really happy with their meaty taste and texture. I settled on them for my recipe because eggplant simply didn't work when cooked this way. This version is really simple to make and if you are looking for a healthier alternative to standard "parm" recipes you might want to give this a try. You won't be sorry. Smaller families can halve the recipe and still enjoy its wonderful flavor. Here's the recipe.

Baked Portobello Parmesan...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 cup (3-oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley, divided use
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
4 large (5 to 6-inches wide) stemmed potobello mushrooms, brushed clean
1-1/2 cups (6-oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup commercially prepared "light" tomato sauce
Cooking spray
Directions:
1) Position a baking rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 17-1/2 x 11-3/4 baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a 16-1/2 x 11-1/2-inch wire cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Mist rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons parsley, paprika and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow pan. Mix well. Set aside.
3) In a separate bowl, combine egg substitute, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. pepper, marjoram, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well.
4) Dip both sides of mushrooms into egg mixture. Dredge in crumb mixture until both sides are completely coated. Transfer, stem side down, to prepared wire rack. Spray tops with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove pan form oven.
5) Reset oven thermostat to 450 degrees F. Meanwhile, carefully turn mushrooms stem side up. Cover each mushroom with 2 tablespoons of remaining Parmesan cheese, 1/4 of Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Spray tops lightly. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and mushrooms are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Use a wide spatula to transfer mushrooms to a serving platter. Sprinkle with reserved 1 tablespoon parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday