Maccheroni alla Chitarra with Zucchini. By Lidia Bastianich recipe

In this recipe, careful cooking brings out

the wonderful � avor of fresh zucchini to make

a lovely dressing for maccheroni (or other

pasta). As name all’Aquilana suggests, this

has distinctive touches of the cooking of

Aquila, the high inland province of Abruzzo.

The sauce’s � nal enrichment with egg yolks is

a typical embellishment in regional kitchens.

¼ teaspoon toasted saffron threads

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 or 5 small, fi rm zucchini (about 1½

pounds total, or 1 pound zucchini

and 24 fresh zucchini fl owers)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cups or so hot water or light

poultry stock

1 cup fi nely chopped scallions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian

parsley

2 large egg yolks for cooking and

fi nishing the pasta

1 batch (1 pound) Homemade

Maccheroni alla Chitarra

1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half

pecorino and half Grana Padano or

Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder

fl avor), plus more for passing

Extra-virgin olive oil, best-quality, for

serving

You will need a heavy-bottomed skillet or

sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger.

To toast the saffron threads: Carefully drop

over a low open � ame for just a few seconds,

toasting the threads very gently-the perfume

will tell you it’s working! Before they overheat,

spill the threads out of the spoon into a bowl

for steeping or grinding, as called for in the

recipe. Put the toasted saffron threads in a

small dish with 2 tablespoons of hot water,

and let them steep.

To cook the maccheroni: heat a large pot of

well-salted water (6 quarts or more) to the boil.

Trim the zucchini, slice them lengthwise

into thin strips, then cut the strips into thin

2-inch- long matchsticks. If you have zucchini

� owers, trim off any remnants of stem, pull

out the inside � laments (the � ower’s stigmas),

and chop the � owers into � ne shreds.

Pour the olive oil into the big skillet, turn on

medium-high heat, and stir in the chopped

onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes,

stirring occasionally, until wilting and

translucent but not browning. Ladle in ½ cup

or so of the hot water or stock, and cook the

onion in the bubbling liquid for a few minutes

more, to soften.

Before the liquid evaporates, scatter the

zucchini matchsticks (and, if using, the

shredded zucchini � owers) into the skillet,

and stir them in with the onion, then add

the chopped scallions and salt. Cook over

high heat, stirring, as the zucchini releases

more juices. Let boil and reduce for a couple

of minutes—again, don’t let the pan get

dry—then ladle in another 2 cups hot water,

stir well, and mix in the saffron threads and

saffron-infused water, and the chopped

parsley. Bring the sauce to a boil, let it

reduce for a couple of minutes to tossing

consistency, then lower the heat to keep

it barely simmering while you cook the

maccheroni alla chitarra.

For cooking and � nishing the pasta: With the

pasta water at a rolling boil, shake excess

� our off the fresh maccheroni, and drop the

strands into the pot, stirring and separating

the strands. Return the water to a full boil,

and cook the pasta for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring

occasionally, just until al dente.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in a mixing

bowl with a small wire whisk, and gradually

whisk in the last ½ cup of hot water, to thin

and temper the yolks.

When the pasta is cooked, lift out the

maccheroni, drain brie� y, and drop them

into the skillet. With tongs, quickly toss

the pasta in the simmering zucchini until

the sauce is well distributed among the

maccheroni strands.

Turn off the heat, and immediately pour the

tempered egg yolks in a thin stream all over

the maccheroni. Keep tossing and tumbling

the pasta, to amalgamate the yolks in the

sauce and cook them in the residual heat.

Next, sprinkle a cup or so of grated cheese

over the maccheroni, toss well, then � nish

with a drizzle of olive oil. Toss and heap the

pasta in warm bowls, and serve immediately,

with more cheese at the table. PH

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