SERVES 2
Oh! The comfort of a warm bowl of slippery noodles that can be slurped or twirled with a fork to make big, soft, round bites—it’s the kind of food you make while wearing pajamas and losing yourself in an excellent book. That’s what this recipe is. The zucchini barely registers as a vegetable, so complete is its transformation into noodle by the olive oil, garlic, and almond flour “bread crumbs.” It’s warm, tender, familiar, and comforting. A hug in a bowl.
INGREDIENTS
• 4 zucchini, sliced with a julienne peeler (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon almond flour or almond meal
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• A combination of both yellow squash and green zucchini makes for a colorful dish that’s special enough to serve to guests, too.
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the julienned zucchini in a colander or wire strainer and toss generously with salt until the strands are lightly coated. Allow the zucchini to sit for 20–30 minutes to remove excess water. Rinse with running water, drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. You may be tempted to skip this step; I strongly advise against it. This step ensures tender, rather than watery, noodles.
2. While the zucchini is sweating in the colander, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the coconut oil, and when it’s melted, add the almond flour and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until it’s toasty brown, about 2 minutes. Remove crumbs from the pan and save for garnish.
3. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the prepared zucchini noodles. Sauté them in the dry pan until just tender, about 1-2 minutes. Push the noodles to the side of the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper, stirring with the spoon until the garlic is fragrant, about 20 seconds. Push the zucchini noodles into the oil and stir gently until they’re coated. Turn off the heat and mix the parsley, salt, and black pepper into the noodles.
4. Sprinkle the noodles with the almond flour crumbs before serving. Slurping and ridiculously big bites are heartily encouraged.
You know how you could do that?
Make it a complete meal. Toss in grilled shrimp or chicken, or add a few scrambled eggs during the last few minutes of cooking to gently coat the strands with soft-cooked egg. Delizioso!
