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One of my all time favorite pasta dishes, hands down. If I haven’t cooked this for you yet, let me know. Sadly, I just ran out of saffron. Perhaps the weekend will take me to that Iranian store in Chestnut Hill – a colleague told me that they sell sargol saffron (the world’s best).

 

I first came across a version of this pasta dish in Guiliano Hazan’s Classic Pasta Cookbook. His recipe uses homemade fettucine and a cream sauce. I’ve lightened it up, of course, so that I could eat it more frequently. I always try to use Bittman’s technique in this dish, but I never seem to get enough zucchine. Pazienza!

 

Lisetta’s Zucchine Saffron Penne (Rigate)

 

Saute a chopped sweet onion in some olive oil until soft.

Cut 4-5 small zucchine in half moons (cut lengthwise then chop) — get the smallest zucchine you can find — and add them to the onions.

Cook for a bit and add some white wine (just a splash) and some vegetable broth (not a whole lot, just enough to help cook the zucchine).

When they zucchine get soft, add powdered saffron to the liquid in the pan and stir. If you have stem saffron, then steep it first in some of the broth.

Add cooked pasta to the zucchine and saute until the pastas is coated.

Serve immediately with lots of zested parmigiano reggiano.

 

When I first moved to Philadelphia, I made this dish for a girlfriend who informed me, while eating, that she did not like zucchine! What a sad life she leads (we’re no longer friends). My favorite pasta dish chez Carla is penne with zucchine. Of course, when the zucchine are picked that same morning from the kitchen garden, they don’t need to be dressed up in broth or saffron.

 

Years ago I read a fascinating book called the Secrets of Saffron: The Vagabond Life of the World’s Most Seductive Spice. Weaving world history with a more personal perspective, the book really does live up to its title.

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