Pasta Nerano

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'Pasta Nerano originates from an amazing restaurant called Maria Grazia, which sits on a stunning rocky beach called Marina Del Cantone on the gulf of Napoli. I worked near there a good few years back and lived in a little apartment in Nerano. That’s where Sarah and I fell in love and we try to return there every other year. We got married in Tuscany and we took a gang of our closest pals to Nerano, on the first leg of our honeymoon – that’s why, to Sarah, this dish is always ‘honeymoon pasta’.' – Robin Gill

This recipe is taken from Chefs at Home: 54 chefs share their lockdown recipes in aid of Hospitality Action (£26, Jon Croft Editions).

First published in 2021

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Method

1
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and, in batches if necessary, fry the courgette slices in a single layer until they are lightly browned. Set aside each batch to drain on kitchen paper while you fry the next. Then, sprinkle lightly with salt
  • olive oil, for frying
  • 800g of courgette, ideally Romanesco courgettes, sliced into thin rounds
  • salt
2
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until very al dente – about 8 minutes
3
While the spaghetti is cooking, heat a little more olive oil in a large sauté or frying pan. Add the garlic and sauté lightly over a medium heat, until lightly golden in colour
4
When the pasta is done, drain it, but not too well, and reserve some of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to the frying pan and add the courgette rounds (reserve some for garnish, if you like) and a ladleful of pasta water. Mix everything together vigorously for a minute or two, then add the grated cheese and some basil leaves, and continue mixing until the cheese has completely melted into a creamy sauce, adding more pasta water if you need to keep things flowing smoothly
5
Serve your spaghetti right away, garnished with any remaining courgette slices and a basil leaf or two
First published in 2021

Dublin-born Robin Gill has worked under revered chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc, but his own string of restaurants – including Sorella and Darby's – are relaxed, innovative and very exciting.

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