Immigrants brought zucchini to Europe in the 17th century. Zucchini belong to the “pumpkin family”, and the name is derived from the Italian term “Zucca”, meaning pumpkin.
This vegetable comes in different shapes and colours. It is usually harvested when half-ripe. The skin of tiny, hard zucchini is more delicate and softer at this point and can be stored cool for around ten days. The larger they are, the less flavourful they tend to be. Depending on the growing conditions and particularly if they are stored for too long, bitter substances can form, which are very unhealthy in higher concentrations. That is why it is best to always try a slice of zucchini before using it. If the taste is unusually bitter, it should not be eaten. Bitter zucchini can spoil an entire meal.
This vegetable is easy to prepare. Soak it briefly in cold diluted vinegar, rinse well with cold water, and cut off the stem and the blossom end. Zucchini are ideal for light meals, whether you enjoy them raw in or as the main component of a salad, cooked in a soup, fried or grilled. Because of their high water content, zucchini contain only 20 kilocalories per 100 grams. Nevertheless, they are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus.
Zucchini pasta al frowner
Ingredients:
- Spelt pasta
- Green or yellow zucchini
- Ripe datterini or cherry tomatoes
- Rocket
- Fresh or freeze-dried chives
- Fresh or freeze-dried parsley
- Sea salt
- Pizza seasoning
- Pepperoncini peppers
- Olive oil
Cook the spelt pasta in water seasoned with sea salt and some pepperoncini peppers until it is al dente.
Drain. Add olive oil to a pan and stir.
After checking the washed and chopped zucchini for bitter substances, add them to the frying pan with olive oil. Fry briefly with a few halved datterini or cherry tomatoes, plenty of chives and parsley, some pizza seasoning and pepperoncini peppers to taste (for 500g spelt pasta, use about 5-6 zucchini).
Add the pasta to the pan with the briefly fried zucchini, stir well and serve immediately with some rocket.
This recipe is best prepared fresh in set portions.
