Zucchini "Pasta"

Zucchini is a really versatile vegetable. I love its texture and its light sweetness and you can use it for practically anything. I've incorporated zucchini into stir fry, crudités (as in raw), tempura fried, as stuffing for peppers, and its often used in baking. The zucchini fruit is low in calories (approximately 15 food calories per 100 g fresh zucchini) and contains useful amounts of folate, potassium, manganese, and vitamin A. 


Zucchini pasta actually does not include ANY pasta. Instead, the zucchini is julienned into thin strips and cooked quickly so that the zucchini obtains the flexibility and texture of spaghetti. Technically, this is a more difficult dish - especially if you don't have a mandolin - and will require really good knife skills. Or, you can cheat and use a vegetable peeler. Note that the recipe can easily be made gluten free by omitting the homemade croutons.

Zucchini "Pasta"
Makes 2 side dish sized portions


1 zucchini
1 tomato
1/2 red onion (or 4 inches of leek for me)
Olive oil
1 mozzarella stick
2 slices white bread
Handful walnuts

1. Prep ingredients. Mince garlic. Slice onion (leek) into thin strips. Julienne the zucchini into linguine sized strips. Dice tomatoes and a mozz stick. Dice bread (think croutons) and chop walnuts. To make the zucchini and leek uniform in size, take a vegetable peeler and make long even strokes. This way, you get even lengthwise slices, which you can slice into narrower strips on a cutting board. This works great with leeks, carrots, and other fibrous vegetable. This cannot be done with the onion, however, as they have too much water.
2. Turn saute pan to medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter. Toast bread and walnuts until crunchy and fragrant. Sprinkle with salt and oregano.
3. Remove croutons and walnuts from pan, allow to cool on a plate lined with a paper towel. Try to avoid eating them all while cooking zucchini.
4. In same pan, add a teaspoon and a half olive oil. Saute garlic and onion/leek. 
5. Allow to cook until translucent, then add tomatos and zucchini. Cook until zucchini is soft. Immediately remove from heat and plate (the zucchini will continue to cook). Top with diced mozzarella, croutons, and walnuts.