Zucchini “tagliatelle”

Last night at dinner I had a concoction called a “crab ‘cappuccino.’ ” When food with quotation marks goes wrong, I think, it can go very wrong. But the sense of whimsy often makes it worth the risk. And my crab “cappuccino” was delicious. It had a lovely kind of southeast Asian flair, including lime, ginger, cilantro, lemongrass, and I don’t know what else. They served it with a little toast rack of sliced brioche. It was so cute I almost died, and so good I went to heaven, at least temporarily.

I’m not sure that whimsical dishes are easy to pull off in home kitchens, and I certainly don’t have the patience for anything like that crab “cappuccino.” But letting zucchini stand in for spaghetti is pretty tasty, in addition to being kind of cutsey. For the cook, zucchini spaghetti’s benefits also include very little last minute work (i.e., put it on a plate), quite unlike spaghetti spaghetti. I find this appealing when there is company, as sweaty hostesses are not so attractive. At least this one isn’t.

There is a bit of knife work involved here, but I don’t think this should stop you from trying it. I realize we all have different thresholds, though, and by way of a confession (This is a blog, isn’t it?): Though I am never afraid of cutting things up, I find the prospect of washing vegetables, especially leafy ones, on a weeknight completely daunting. But this aside.

You can cut up the zucchini however you like for this, as long as it is very thin. You can also name it however you like. There will be bits of vegetable that don’t get used in the final product. Some of the strands will break, the outermost bits won’t wilt properly, and the nubs at the ends can’t be used, of course. Save these all to make a purée. And serve it underneath, oh I don’t know, duck or something. (Coming soon.)

Zucchini “tagliatelle”

In pursuit of that whimsy factor, I like making a sauce that masks this tagliatelle’s true identity, and zucchini + tomatoes are a natural pairing. A raw sauce will be very good when tomato season comes next month. Garnish with basil if you have some (I didn’t), but don’t bother with the cheese. Serve at room temperature or slightly cool.

For the zucchini:  4 zucchini (about 1 lb)  |  1 t kosher salt

For a simple tomato sauce:  olive oil  |  ½ small onion, minced  |  2 cloves garlic, minced  |  salt + pepper  |  1 28 oz can tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

Special tools: a mandolin

First, make a tomato sauce to your liking. Simpler will be better here. For the one I made: Sweat the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil over medium low heat, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes (they will sputter when you do this, so take care), season with salt + pepper, partially cover, and let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Whenever it is done, turn off the heat, and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the zucchini tagliatelle: Wash the zucchini, peel, and cut off the ends, reserving the peels and bits for another use. Use a mandoline or a knife to shave thinnest slices. Stack them up and slice again, making the pieces about ½ inch wide to approximate tagliatelle. Toss with the salt, and set in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes. Gently squeeze out excess moisture, toss with the tomato sauce, and garnish with basil if you like.

Serves 4