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Original poster

Has anyone actually made that courgette/spaghetti thing Stanley Tucci is always

42 replies

SirTarquin · 22/04/2023 10:57

banging on about and featured in his Italian series? Is it worth it? Worth the fuss? Is it as good as he says?

It's the one that involves deep frying courgettes and leaving them overnight.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/kitchen-notes/the-secrets-of-stanley-tuccis-zucchini-spaghetti

The Secrets of Stanley Tucci’s Zucchini Spaghetti

During my time on the Amalfi Coast, I tried to figure out what makes spaghetti alla Nerano so great.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/kitchen-notes/the-secrets-of-stanley-tuccis-zucchini-spaghetti

OP posts:

bilbodog · 22/04/2023 11:02

No i havent - but marking place to see if anyone else has!

gettingolderbutcooler · 22/04/2023 11:09

No, but I do make a similar dish!

Slice/ grate 4 big courgettes, fry with plenty of garlic and salt and pepper. Then when most of liquid is gone, add big juicy prawns.
I then mix my cooked pasta into the same pan, add Parmesan and voila!

Enjoy.

MrsSkylerWhite · 22/04/2023 11:14

Love courgetti. Never fried it with oil though, so much liquid in it it’s not needed. Delicious with crème fraiche, pancetta, salt, pepper and garlic.

RobertaTheRotund · 22/04/2023 11:20

I saw this last year and wanted to try it, but it looks like such a faff! On one of the websites where they have the recipe a few comments have said 'not worth it', so I am a bit hesitant to try it.

I do something similar where I slow fry courgettes in a bit of oil, salt and chilli flakes and then add lemon zest and parmesan. It is really nice. I do similar with cherry tomatoes too

Original poster

SirTarquin · 22/04/2023 13:29

I saw this last year and wanted to try it, but it looks like such a faff!

Yes - that's why I was asking.

In the TV programme, he and his wife say they make it all the time and love it - but turns out they haven't been doing it correctly because the courgettes need to be deep fried and not shallow fried.

@gettingolderbutcooler - the essence/secret of this dish is apparently the leaving the fried courgettes overnight. It's not about just fried courgettes with pasta!

OP posts:

namelessfornow · 22/04/2023 13:30

I wanted to try it too! But I'm the only one in house who will eat courgettes so thought it'd be a bit of faff for me to make just 1 serving.

Original poster

SirTarquin · 23/04/2023 17:37

So I've bought some courgettes....

OP posts:

Mistymoonsinastarrysky · 23/04/2023 17:56

I love it, quick and easy, delicious with a touch of garlic, chilli and olive oil. Parmesan to finish obviously.

RobertaTheRotund · 23/04/2023 18:05

Is it quick though @Mistymoonsinastarrysky? Is deep frying courgettes and leaving them overnight not a bit faffy?

Fairislefandango · 23/04/2023 18:48

Love courgetti

I think it's actual spaghetti but with courgettes, rather than courgetti though. Sounds delicious- I love courgettes!

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 23/04/2023 19:05

Thanks for that link. I haven't seen the series. This doesn't sound like a huge amount of faff to me. I may try it, scaled down for two people. I don't have a deep fat frier but I think I would fry the slices of courgette in a lot of oil in a normal frying pan and then drain well on kitchen roll.

Original poster

SirTarquin · 23/04/2023 20:37

I've rewatched the bit in the programme in preparation - it's in the second half of the first episode fairly far in - it comes after the full screen caption the perfect storm if anyone is interested. It's on BBC iplayer.

I will update after my deep fat frying attempt....

I'm really posting this here to be accountable as I fear that I just can't be bothered with the whole deep fat fry and overnight jobbie.

I can't remember the last time I used my deep fat fryer... I hope it still works...

OP posts:

namelessfornow · 23/04/2023 20:44

OOH waiting excitedly for your review!

lunaloveroo · 23/04/2023 20:50

I make this a lot. Top top once you've grated it/ spiralised you need to get the water out of it. I just use kitchen roll. If you don't it goes soggy quickly when you cook it x

CalloohCallayFrabjousDay · 23/04/2023 20:52

gettingolderbutcooler · 22/04/2023 11:09

No, but I do make a similar dish!

Enjoy.

That sounds heavenly!

museumum · 23/04/2023 20:53

Yes! It’s amazing. We prep the courgette in the air fryer.

GayPareeee · 23/04/2023 21:00

Yes, we made it for 5 and was easy, not a faff at all.

The courgettes do collapse down a lot over night though, you need a lot more than you would think

We did sneak garlic in the next day

CrapBucket · 23/04/2023 21:02

This is the sort of thing I’d order at a restaurant, because it sounds delicious but far too much of a hassle for me to make.

Original poster

SirTarquin · 24/04/2023 00:22

@lunaloveroo
I make this a lot. Top top once you've grated it/ spiralised you need to get the water out of it.

I think you are talking about something different. This is not courgetti or spiralised courgettes, it is spaghetti with sliced deep fried courgettes that have been rested over night - it's official name I have discovered is Spaghetti alla Nerano.

So .... everyone is in bed, I've activated the deep fat frier (or Friar who may have been more help) and fried the courgettes. They are now in the fridge to rest until Part 2 tomorrow night.

It was a bit of a faff for me partly because I hadn't used the deep fat frier for a looong time so had to read the instructions etc. Once I got going it was alright but it does say to drain them of oil afterward on kitchen towel before putting them in the bowl which was also a pain because you have to do them in batches.

I was doing it fairly carefully because I didn't want it to be too fatty but I expect if you didn't care you could do it more quickly by just a chuck on the paper towel and into the bowl.

@GayPareeee the recipe says garlic is optional. I don't think they used it in the programme and his wife was saying that people think it has garlic in it just from the courgettes. Have you tried it without garlic?

OP posts:

Original poster

SirTarquin · 24/04/2023 00:24

*deep fat fryer ffs

OP posts:

GayPareeee · 24/04/2023 07:40

no, we put garlic in as it just seemed too plain without it (think also bit of chilli)

It's on my meal plan this week now, thanks for the reminder

Original poster

SirTarquin · 24/04/2023 10:29

@GayPareeee thanks

I'm in two minds about this as you say, it feels like it might be plain without it and the recipes I have seen all say garlic optional.

on the other hand, the restaurant make it without garlic and the comments made by the Tuccis suggest that that magic of the dish is the flavour that comes from the courgettes alone.

I think maybe I will try it without garlic first but am a bit scared that I may have wasted my time..

I am interested to test out this idea that the courgettes by themselves can give a complex flavour.

I suppose I could do half and half to test it out but that's yet more faff...

The other things I read suggested that you must have a really good quality cheese and that provalone de monaco ( monk's provalone) would be best which is hard to find and whoppingly expensive. I'm going for an aged gourmet parmesan instead...

OP posts:

GayPareeee · 24/04/2023 10:42

We used parmesan and was fine.

I think Italian courgettes probably do have a complex flavour so garlic is optional, I didn't trust our supermarket ones would be so lucky!

Original poster

SirTarquin · 24/04/2023 11:46

I think Italian courgettes probably do have a complex flavour so garlic is optional, I didn't trust our supermarket ones would be so lucky!

Apparently thinner ones have a better flavour. I'd read you should taste a slice raw before you cook them because if there is any bitterness that will come through. I did do that here and they tasted ok.

Now you mention it - I wonder if that is the secret to the dish - that they are using the best courgettes because they are ultra fresh (the owner of that restaurant they were at grows all his own produce) and ripened in Meditteranean sun.

OP posts:

TooOldForThisNonsense · 24/04/2023 11:53

Yes my husband makes it! He’s a chef though so doesn’t find it too faffy. I just eat it, don’t know what’s involved!

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