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Spaghettini with Lupini Beans and Zucchini Blossoms

17/11/2023

Spaghettini with lupini beans and zucchini blossoms is a dish that combines the delicacy of zucchini flowers with the intense flavor of lupini beans. Here is the recipe with an Italian touch.

Ingredients

  • 320g of spaghettini
  • 200g of shelled lupini beans
  • 8 zucchini blossoms
  • 2 medium zucchinis
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 chili pepper (optional)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • Chopped parsley (for garnish)
  • 1 lemon (grated zest)

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the spaghettini.
  2. In the meantime, wash the zucchinis and slice them into thin rounds. Carefully wash the zucchini blossoms as well, remove the internal pistils, then cut them into strips.
  3. In a large frying pan, sauté the finely chopped garlic and chili pepper (if using) in extra virgin olive oil. Once the garlic turns golden, remove it to avoid an overly strong flavor.
  4. Add the zucchini rounds and sauté over high heat for a few minutes until they are slightly golden. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Add the lupini beans and let them flavor together for a few minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, cook the spaghettini according to the instructions for an al dente result.
  7. Drain the spaghettini, keeping aside some of the cooking water, and transfer them to the pan with the zucchinis and lupini beans. Add the zucchini blossoms and gently stir over the heat for a couple of minutes, adding a little cooking water if necessary to emulsify.
  8. Sprinkle with the grated lemon zest and a pinch of black pepper.
  9. Serve the spaghettini piping hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Curiosity

This dish will allow you to enjoy the sweetness of the zucchini blossoms balanced by the rusticity of the lupini beans, two ingredients that enhance each other. Lupini beans are widely used in Italian cuisine and are known for their nutritional properties, being rich in proteins and fibers. Always remember to use lupini beans that are ready for consumption, as they require a long preparation to remove their natural bitterness.