A bowl of summer squash spaghetti - 1 a bowl of summer squash spaghetti - 2

Several years ago I bought a Benriner turning slicer . It is a ridiculous (but fun) tool that sits in my cupboard 364 days a year. To justify hanging on to it, I pull it out every year, just once, at the start of zucchini season, when I set out to make one of my favorite spaghetti recipes, the very dish that inspired its purchase.

I had read about the turning slicer in Michael Chiarello’s Tra Vigne Cookbook , which extolled the tool for its ability to cut vegetables into long spirals, perfect for making cucumber salads or for preparing potatoes for the deep fryer or for turning out zucchini slices for this very spaghetti recipe. That sounded like fun, I thought, and I ran out to Fante’s to see for myself.

While the gadget works beautifully and while it, unlike some of my other slicers, poses no risk to my fingers, my experimentation has extended no further than this single recipe. Truthfully, I prefer the shape of the long thin wisps created by a mandoline .

While neither tool is required to prepare this pasta recipe, having one helps. The beauty of the dish lies in the delicateness of the zucchini and summer squash strands, which cook in the final minute of the assembly process while they’re being tossed with the just-boiled spaghetti.

The sauce for this pasta is simple: extra-virgin olive oil heated briefly with minced garlic, shallots, and crushed red pepper flakes. Lemon zest and lots of chopped basil and parsley add a touch of freshness. Grated Parmigiano Reggiano is a must.

I love this pasta. It’s simple and summery, and it always inspires me once again to unearth such a promising gadget. Maybe this summer will be different? Maybe we’ll take to feasting on whimsical cucumber nest salads and carrot and daikon radish slaws? Maybe we’ll grow accustomed to sliding our grilled steaks onto beds of crispy potatoes? It’s unlikely, but I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

benriner turning slicer - 3 sliced zucchini - 4 zucchini & summer squash - 5

Love my Benriner mandoline :

benriner mandoline - 6 ingredients - 7 adding the parsley & basil - 8

Have a nice weekend.

graham & ella - 9 A bowl of summer squash spaghetti - 10

Description

Adapted from Michael Chiarello’s The Tra Vigne Cookbook

  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. zucchini or yellow squash
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or less if you are sensitive to heat
  • 1/2 lb. spaghetti or other long noodle
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped basil, optional
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Using a mandoline or turning slicer, cut the squash into long thin strips. Alternatively, cut the squash with a knife as thinly as you are able. Place the sliced squash in a colander in your sink.
  3. Place the olive oil, shallots, and garlic in a large skillet. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to high. As soon as you see the oil beginning to shimmer, give the shallots and garlic a stir, cover the lid, and turn the heat to low. Cook for roughly 10 minutes, or until the shallots and garlic are very soft.
  4. When the pasta water boils, add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Boil the pasta till al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
  5. Meanwhile, uncover the lid of the pan with the shallots and garlic. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir briefly.
  6. Drain the pasta over the colander containing the squash, then transfer the pasta and squash to the skillet. Add 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine. Season with pepper. Add the Parmigiano. Toss. Taste. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Remove from the heat and add the herbs and lemon zest. Toss again to combine. Taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Description

Adapted from Michael Chiarello’s The Tra Vigne Cookbook

  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. zucchini or yellow squash
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or less if you are sensitive to heat
  • 1/2 lb. spaghetti or other long noodle
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped basil, optional
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Using a mandoline or turning slicer, cut the squash into long thin strips. Alternatively, cut the squash with a knife as thinly as you are able. Place the sliced squash in a colander in your sink.
  3. Place the olive oil, shallots, and garlic in a large skillet. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to high. As soon as you see the oil beginning to shimmer, give the shallots and garlic a stir, cover the lid, and turn the heat to low. Cook for roughly 10 minutes, or until the shallots and garlic are very soft.
  4. When the pasta water boils, add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Boil the pasta till al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
  5. Meanwhile, uncover the lid of the pan with the shallots and garlic. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir briefly.
  6. Drain the pasta over the colander containing the squash, then transfer the pasta and squash to the skillet. Add 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine. Season with pepper. Add the Parmigiano. Toss. Taste. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Remove from the heat and add the herbs and lemon zest. Toss again to combine. Taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2012/06/14/summer-squash-spaghetti/

summer squash spaghetti - 11 An overhead shot of a bran muffin. - 12 An overhead shot of a bran muffin. - 13

Many of you already know of this bran muffin, a Nancy Silverton creation served at the widely adored La Brea Bakery. Made with toasted wheat bran, freshly grated orange zest, and simmered and puréed raisins, it is one of the most delicious muffins — bran or otherwise — out there.

This is a true bran muffin, not a brown muffin under the guise of bran muffin. Despite being nearly one hundred percent whole grain in makeup, it is perfectly sweet and super moist. This is a muffin you feel almost OK about eating by the half dozen and one you feel truly OK about packing into lunch bags and taking on road trips.

Is it a little fussy? Toasted bran, grated zest, plumped and puréed raisins? Yes, a little bit. But I would argue that the bran muffin to end all bran muffins deserves to be so. I think you’ll agree.

A board with a zested orange and simmered raisins. - 14 A board with a zested orange and simmered raisins. - 15 Puréed raisins in a food processor. - 16 Puréed raisins in a food processor. - 17 Bran muffin batter in a bowl. - 18 Bran muffin batter in a bowl. - 19 Bran muffin batter in cupcake pan. - 20 Bran muffin batter in cupcake pan. - 21 Bran muffin batter being scooped. - 22 Bran muffin batter being scooped. - 23 An overhead shot of just-baked bran muffins. - 24 An overhead shot of just-baked bran muffins. - 25

Description

From Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

Notes: Because I don’t love the texture of raisins in baked goods, I puréed all of them in step 3 versus saving a half cup to fold in at the end. If you like the texture of raisins, however, by all means, save a 1/2 cup to be folded in at the end.

  • 2 cups ( 125g ) wheat bran
  • 1 1/2 cups ( 190g total) dark raisins
  • 1 1/2 cups (370ml total) water
  • 1/2 cup ( 120g ) buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt (I used buttermilk)
  • zest of one orange
  • 1/2 cup ( 105g ) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil (I used canola)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/2 cup ( 65g ) flour
  • 1/4 cup ( 35g ) whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter or oil or use these free-standing paper liners , which are fun and pretty.
  2. Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for six to eight minutes, stirring a few times so it cooks evenly. Let cool.
  3. While the bran is toasting, heat 1 cup of the raisins with 1/2 cup of the water. (Note: I simmered all of the raisins (1.5 cups) at once with 3/4 cups water, then added the remaining 3/4 cup water to the batter (step 4) afterwards.) Simmer for ten minutes, or until the water is all absorbed (I simmered for 10 minutes and all of the water was not absorbed, but I figured it was OK, and it was). Puree the raisins in a food processor or blender until smooth.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together the toasted bran, buttermilk or yogurt, 1 cup water (or 3/4 cup water if you have simmered all of the raisins with 3/4 cup water), then mix in the raisin puree, orange zest, and brown sugar.
  5. Stir in the oil, egg and egg white.
  6. Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and sift (or not) directly into the wet ingredients. Stir until the ingredients are just combined, then mix in the remaining 1/2 cup raisins (if you haven’t puréed all of them already).
  7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, making sure the batter is mounded slightly in each one. Because muffin tins can very in size, if your tins are larger, make fewer muffins.
  8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins feel set in the center.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Muffin
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American