Spaghetti alla Nerano

Ingredients

• 350g spaghetti
• 700g small firm courgettes
• 180g Provolone del Monaco, finely grated, or a mild aged provolone
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 600ml sunflower oil, for frying
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 12 basil leaves
• Salt
• Black pepper

Before you cook

• Wash the courgettes and trim off both ends.
• Slice the courgettes into rounds about 3mm thick.
• Pat the slices completely dry with a clean cloth.
• Grate the provolone finely and leave it at room temperature.

Steps

1. Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 170C.
2. Fry the courgette slices in small batches for 3 minutes, until deep gold at the edges.
3. Lift each batch onto kitchen paper and season it lightly with salt.
4. Layer the fried courgettes in a bowl with torn basil leaves and leave them to perfume for at least 30 minutes.
5. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
6. Warm the 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the whole garlic clove in a wide pan over a low heat for 1 minute.
7. Add the fried courgettes and crush about a third of them against the side of the pan with a fork.
8. Fish out the garlic clove and discard it.
9. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook it for half the time given on the packet.
10. Lift the pasta straight into the courgette pan with a ladleful of its cooking water.
11. Finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes, adding more water a splash at a time.
12. Take the pan off the heat and let it stop sizzling for 30 seconds.
13. Add the grated provolone in three additions, tossing hard after each one.
14. Loosen the sauce with a little more cooking water until it turns glossy and coats every strand.
15. Grind over black pepper, add the last of the basil and serve at once.