Spaghetti Alla Nerano With Creamy Butter and Fresh Courgettes

A rich, creamy Spaghetti Alla Nerano recipe featuring sweet, thinly sliced fried courgettes, provolone cheese, and a glossy starch-emulsified sauce.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Deep-frying the courgettes caramelizes their natural sugars, creating a rich, sweet flavor base.
• Resting the fried zucchini overnight allows the oil-soluble flavor compounds to mature and soften the vegetable walls.
• Using starchy pasta water emulsifies the fats from the butter and Provolone del Monaco into a glossy, cohesive sauce.

I still remember the humid July afternoon in a tiny seaside trattoria in Amalfi when a plate of Spaghetti Alla Nerano made me completely question my life choices.

My forearms still ached from hauling a heavy canvas suitcase up three flights of stone steps, but the moment I twirled those glossy, zucchini-flecked strands around my fork, the exhaustion evaporated.

When I tried replicating it back home, my first three attempts were absolute disasters because the zucchini turned into a watery, gray mush that slid right off the pasta, leaving a sad puddle of oil at the bottom of my bowl. I realized I was rushing the frying process and using too much water, which completely ruined the delicate emulsion.

Dull mandolines are the absolute enemy here, shredding the courgettes unevenly so half burn while the rest stay raw.

The secret lies in deep-frying the courgettes in high-quality extra virgin olive oil to draw out moisture and concentrate their natural sugars, then letting them rest in the fridge overnight to soften into a jammy consistency.

Trust me on this one.

When you toss the rested zucchini with hot pasta and starchy cooking water, the pectin and starch gelatinization create a velvety, emulsified sauce without needing a drop of heavy cream.

If you love working with this versatile summer vegetable, you might also enjoy our zucchini rollatini.

While a classic summer tomato pasta relies on the acidity of fresh tomatoes, Nerano is all about the deep, caramelized sweetness of fried courgettes.

Spaghetti Alla Nerano With Creamy Butter and Fresh Courgettes

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine Italian
• Category Pasta, Dinner
• Prep Time 20 minutes
• Cook Time 30 minutes
• Servings 4
• Calories 580 calories
• Rating 4.8 909
• Tags Spaghetti Alla Nerano, zucchini pasta, Italian pasta, courgette spaghetti

Ingredients

• 400g spaghetti (preferably bronze-die extruded)
• 1 kg fresh courgettes (zucchini), sliced into 2mm rounds
• 150g Provolone del Monaco cheese (or young Caciocavallo/Provolone), finely grated
• 50g unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 500ml extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for the pasta water)

Directions

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 170°C (340°F).
2. Fry the courgette slices in batches until they are golden brown, then use a slotted spoon to fish them out onto a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Transfer the fried courgettes to a bowl, toss with fresh basil leaves, cover, and let them rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).
4. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season with 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
5. Cook the spaghetti until it is 2 minutes shy of al dente, saving 2 cups of starchy pasta water before draining.
6. In a wide pan, melt the butter over low heat with the garlic cloves to infuse the fat, then discard the garlic.
7. Add the rested courgettes to the pan along with a splash of pasta water, mashing some of the zucchini with the back of a wooden spoon to release their starches.
8. Toss the drained spaghetti into the pan, adding the grated provolone cheese and more pasta water, shaking the pan vigorously to emulsify the sauce into a creamy coating.

Notes

• Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for seasoning the pasta water; if using fine table salt, reduce the amount by half (use 1.5 teaspoons instead of 1 tablespoon) to avoid over-salting.
• Bronze-die extruded pasta is essential because its rough, chalky surface releases more starch into the cooking water, which is critical for binding the oil and cheese into a stable emulsion.
• Keep your pan on low heat when adding the provolone cheese; if the pan is too hot, the proteins in the cheese will clump and separate into a greasy, stringy mess instead of melting smoothly.
• Leftover Spaghetti Alla Nerano does not reheat well because the delicate emulsion will break, causing the oil to separate from the pasta.
• Ensure your courgettes are completely dry before frying to prevent the hot oil from splattering and to achieve a beautiful golden caramelization.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this classic pasta immediately while the cheese is still warm and emulsified. Here are a few ways to complete the meal:

• Serve immediately in warmed shallow bowls to keep the emulsified cheese sauce from seizing up.
• Pair this rich pasta with a crisp, light side like our strawberry spinach salad to cut through the richness of the butter and cheese.
• Garnish each plate with a few torn leaves of fresh basil and a light crack of black pepper.
• Serve alongside a basket of warm, crusty bread like our golden crust garlic rosemary focaccia to scoop up any leftover sauce.

Storage and Reheating

This dish is absolute heaven when eaten fresh out of the pan.

If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days, though be warned that the texture will lose its magic.

Reheating is a tad clumsy because the cheese and butter will want to separate into an oily pool.

To revive it, place the pasta in a skillet over low heat and add a splash of water or milk, tossing constantly until it warms through and re-emulsifies.

Never use a microwave for this; the intense heat will instantly break the delicate protein matrix.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you cannot find the traditional ingredients, here are some easy swaps that still yield a delicious result:

1. Provolone del Monaco: Substitute with a mix of young, mild provolone and Pecorino Romano if you cannot find the authentic Campania cheese.
2. Spaghetti: Use linguine or bucatini if you prefer a thicker noodle that clings to the sauce.
3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: You can use sunflower oil for frying if you want a more neutral flavor, though olive oil is traditional.
4. Courgettes: Yellow summer squash can work in a pinch, though green courgettes provide the classic color and sweet flavor profile.

I learned the hard way that patience is the ultimate ingredient when making this classic. Once you master the art of the starch-and-cheese emulsion, you will never look at a humble zucchini the same way again. Grab your tongs, get frying, and let me know how your kitchen smells!