Pasta with Zucchini

Method

1. Prepare the zucchini: grate one zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Cut the other two zucchini into small dice, discarding the ends.
2. Blanch the pomodorini pizzutello in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until the skin loosens. Drain, peel off the skin, and roughly chop the tomatoes.
3. In a large pan, heat a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over low heat. Add a clove of garlic (crushed but left in its skin) and a piece of chili pepper. Infuse the oil for a minute, then remove the garlic.
4. For the classic golosa version, add the pancetta strips to the oil. For soft pancetta, cook gently without browning too much. For crispy pancetta, cook until crisp, then remove and set aside.
5. Add the grated zucchini to the pan. Stir and cook for 2–3 minutes. Season with a pinch of black pepper (no salt yet, as the pancetta is salty).
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and the diced zucchini. Stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt, then cover the pan and let the vegetables stew over low heat for about 5–7 minutes, until the diced zucchini are tender but still have a bite.
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the short pasta until al dente. Reserve at least a cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
8. Transfer the drained pasta to the pan with the zucchini sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to medium and toss well, allowing the pasta to finish cooking and the sauce to become creamy.
9. Turn off the heat. Add a handful of torn fresh basil leaves and the grated Pecorino Romano (omit for the vegan version). Toss until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy.
10. Serve immediately, drizzling with a little raw extra virgin olive oil and garnishing with a few basil leaves. If you made crispy pancetta, crumble it on top.