Cooking Steps

• Fry the zucchini in olive oil until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side) and place in a large pan lined with paper towels. Salt the zucchini right after frying each batch.
• Cook the spaghetti until very al dente in salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water).
• Meanwhile, heat a large clean pan to medium-low and sauté the garlic cloves in 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until golden. Once golden, remove and discard the garlic cloves.
• Add the butter, a ladle of pasta water, and half of the zucchini to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Mash the zucchini with a wooden spoon on the side of the pan to create a loose zucchini sauce.
• Add the pasta wet (pull it right out of the pot with tongs) and continue cooking the al dente pasta for 1-2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add the Caciocavallo cheese. Toss to emulsify and form a creamy sauce. If too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of pasta water at a time, then toss once more, to get the consistency just right.
• Taste test and make any final adjustments to salt and pepper. Add in the basil or parsley, then serve right away with the remaining zucchini rounds divided into each plate.
• More grated Caciocavallo or Pecorino Romano can be served on the side. Enjoy!