Pasta with Bright Green Zucchini

Method

1. Peel and prepare the yellow and green zucchini for frying. Slice them into rounds.
2. Fry the zucchini rounds in olive oil until golden brown.
3. Partially peel the remaining zucchini (save the skins to fry separately).
4. Fry the zucchini skins for less than a minute until crisp.
5. Season the fried zucchini with garlic, salt, pepper, basil, mint, and red wine vinegar to make the scapece. Toss and let it marinate.
6. For the cream: blanch the green zucchini skin in boiling water for a maximum of 2 minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to fix the color.
7. Blanch a handful of basil leaves as well.
8. Grate the flesh of the peeled zucchini.
9. Sauté the grated zucchini in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.
10. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
11. Once the grated zucchini has released its water, deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine vinegar.
12. Transfer the cooked zucchini to a blender with a little pasta cooking water and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth.
13. Add the blanched zucchini skins and basil to the blender and blend again until you get a bright green sauce.
14. Pass the sauce through a fine strainer for an extra silky texture.
15. Finish cooking the pasta in the pan with the zucchini cream for the last 2 minutes of cooking time.
16. Serve with a very light grating of ricotta salata on top.