Zucchini “Tagliatelle”, Tomato Dressing and Pangrattato

I’ve been on a “veggie noodles” kind of roll lately (and loving it!). Every now and then, I find them to be a wonderful alternative to regular pasta. They’re much quicker to make, low on carbs, high on plenty of great vitamins, and overall delicious coupled with a homemade sauce. (If you’re into it, check out my Carrot Noodles with pesto, or my Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai!) Now, on to this week’s recipe: Zucchini Tagliatelle with a Tomato Dressing and Pangrattato.

What’s “pangrattato”? Well, it literally means “grated bread” in Italian. So basically breadcrumbs, or deliciously crispy homemade croutons. If you like an added kick, my kind of pangrattato also involves a drop of lemon juice and some minced green onions. It’s typically used as a topping for pasta dishes, or sometimes even risotto, and it’s a great way to add texture to a dish. So I figured it would be a great addition to my revisited zucchini noodles (previously made with roasted red pepper sauce). I also opted for the “tagliatelle” shape rather than “spaghetti”. I find that making ribbons is great for two reasons. First, you’re using a vegetable peeler, which is much easier to clean than a spiralizer. Second, larger noodle strands hold the sauce better. So it’s a win-win solution!

I also experimented with a tomato-based dressing instead of roasted red peppers. I figured some marinara-like sauce would be appropriate for a bowl of pasta-like vegetables. I loosely inspired myself from one of Mark Bittman’s dressings, which was delicious. But to be perfectly honest, the golden lemony croutons and green onions still kind of stole the show. (ed. note: you’ll probably want to make some extras if, like me, you can’t stop yourself from eating it all right out of the pan). Bon appétit!

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Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 green zucchini squash
• a handful of arugula
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• a pinch of garlic salt
• 1 slice of sourdough bread, stale or toasted
• 1 green onion
• a drizzle of olive oil
• a drizzle of lemon juice
• fresh parsley
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Start making the zucchini “tagliatelle”. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and make ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
2. Next, make the tomato dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and mustard. Keep whisking and add the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil. Then, gradually add the water while you keep mixing. Stop when you reach your desired consistency.
3. Finally, make the croutons. Tear the bread apart in tiny pieces and mince the green onion. Heat some olive oil in a pan, add the onion, bread, sea salt and a drizzle of lemon juice. Let it cook, stirring occasionally until golden.
4. To plate, start with the zucchini ribbons mixed with a handful of arugula. Drizzle generously with the dressing, and top with the golden lemony croutons and chopped fresh parsley. Toss and enjoy!

Temps Total: 20 minutes

Ingrédients: 

• 1 courgette
• une poignée de roquette
• 1 c.s de concentré de tomates
• 2 c.s d’huile d’olive
• 1/3 tasse d’eau
• 1 c.s de vinaigre balsamique
• 1 c.c de moutarde de dijon
• une pincée de sel ailé
• 1 tranche de pain de campagne
• 1 oignon vert
• un filet d’huile d’olive
• quelques gouttes de jus de citron
• persil frais
• sel de mer et poivre noir fraichement moulu

Étapes:

1. Commencez par préparer les “tagliatelles” de courgette. Coupez la courgette en deux dans le sens de la longueur. Faites des rubans à l’aide d’un économe.
2. Préparez ensuite la sauce. Dans un petit bol, mélangez le concentré de tomates et la moutarde. Ajoutez le vinaigre balsamique et l’huile d’olive tout en continuant de mélanger. Ajoutez graduellement l’eau, jusqu’à obtenir la consistance d’une sauce de salade.
3. Enfin, faites les croutons. Émiettez la tranche de pain et émincez l’oignon vert. Faites chauffer de l’huile dans une poêle et ajoutez l’oignon, le pain, quelques gouttes de jus de citron, et du sel. Laissez les croutons dorer en remuant la poêle de temps en temps.
4. Pour servir, commencez par les rubans de courgettes mélangés à une poignée de roquette. Agrémentez généreusement de sauce à la tomate. Garnissez avec les croutons au citron dorés et quelques feuilles de persil frais. Mélangez le tout et bon appétit!

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