Mush. It's what's for dinner.
It's recipe + video day!
New here? Hi! If you want to get right down to business, scroll down for the video link and alllllll the way to the bottom for the recipe.
Hello to my gourds and goblins!
Zucchini. I have feelings. Apparently, it’s one of the most abundant and most underwhelming crops on earth. Is that fact, or opinion, or simply the impression we get this time of year when everyone posts specimens from their squash garden along with strategies for foisting these things on their unwitting neighbors?
Here’s an actual opinion: I think zucchini is good two ways: incredibly crispy in fritter form, or cooked to obliteration. There is no in between.
This pasta, a direct descendant of Spaghetti with Melted Cauliflower Sauce from That Sounds So Good, is for the zucchini lovers and the haters (it’s me!). It contains chopped zucchini, garlic, anchovies, and a glorious amount of olive oil. The zucchini essentially braises in that heavenly mixture until it’s as blissed out as those infants getting face massages online.
If you like a little crunch with your luscious pasta sauces, top this with toasted pistachios, walnuts, or coarse breadcrumbs. The chew of the pasta is important for contrast, too, so take care to not overcook the rigatoni. Under is better than over, since you can always cook it longer once it’s added to the sauce.
This was a chance for me to test one of my Spin Its in real time, and I share the origin story for the whole Spin It philosophy in the video itself. From the first recipe I developed for Where Cooking Begins, I’ve included alt ingredients in every single recipe I publish. I hope that flexibility empowers beginner cooks as much as it validates more experienced home cooks who feel confident making those changes on the fly.
And if you’re the kind of cook who loves to follow a recipe just as it’s written, this is for you, too.
xoCLM