Zucchini Carbonara Spaghetti

Zucchini carbonara spaghetti is a vegetable variation of the classic Roman dish, where zucchini replaces guanciale or pancetta. Below I list the ingredients first and then the preparation.

Ingredients

• 320 g of spaghetti
• 4 medium zucchinis
• 4 egg yolks (or 2 yolks and 1 whole egg for a less rich version)
• 100 g of grated Pecorino Romano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• (Optional) Garlic for flavoring

Preparation

1. Wash and julienne the zucchini (into thin strips) or grate it finely if you prefer a creamier texture.
2. In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with a clove of garlic (if using), then add the cut zucchini and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until they become tender. Make sure to salt them lightly.
3. In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente according to the package instructions.
4. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the grated Pecorino Romano, a pinch of black pepper, and if necessary adjust the salt (be careful not to over-salt as the pecorino is already savory).
5. Drain the spaghetti and keep some of the cooking water.
6. Remove the garlic clove from the zucchini and turn off the heat. Add the spaghetti to the pan with the zucchini and mix well.
7. Off the heat, pour the egg and Pecorino cream onto the spaghetti and mix vigorously, adding some cooking water to make it creamy. It is important to do this step with the heat off to avoid the eggs setting too much and becoming scrambled.
8. Serve the zucchini carbonara spaghetti immediately, finishing with a sprinkle of Pecorino and black pepper.

Remember that the creaminess of the carbonara is achieved by working the pasta well with the other ingredients and using the cooking water to obtain the right consistency.

Curiosity

Even though this is a vegetable variant, the technique to achieve the creaminess of the sauce is the same as the classic carbonara: the emulsion created between the starchy pasta cooking water and the mix of eggs and cheese. In Italy, traditional carbonara does not include cream, which is often a common mistake in some international versions.