Ligurian Zucchini Carpaccio

Name: Ligurian Zucchini Carpaccio
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Zucchini 1.3 lbs; Lemon juice 3 ½ tbsp; Lemon peel to taste; Extra virgin olive oil 3.7 tbsp; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.5 oz; Pine nuts 2 ½ tbsp; Basil to taste

Difficulty: Very easy
Prep time: 10 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Very low
Note + 2 hours of marinating

PRESENTATION

Ligurian zucchini carpaccio is a no-cook summer appetizer that comes together in minutes and holds in the refrigerator until you need it. Thinly sliced raw zucchini marinate with crunchy pine nuts, fragrant basil, and quality extra-virgin olive oil — three ingredients the Ligurian coast has long treated as staples rather than garnishes. The result is light, fresh, and fully in the spirit of the Riviera: nothing cooked, nothing complicated, just a handful of well-chosen components doing exactly what they are supposed to do on a hot afternoon.

The real strength of this dish is the make-ahead freedom it gives you. Assemble it in the morning, slide it into the refrigerator, and forget about it. By the time lunch rolls around — or you walk through the door after a long day in the sun — the marinade will have gently softened the zucchini, pulled the flavors together, and left the pine nuts with just enough crunch to keep every bite interesting. It is the kind of appetizer that actually improves with a few hours of patience, which makes it as practical as it is good.

How to prepare Ligurian Zucchini Carpaccio

To prepare the Ligurian zucchini carpaccio, wash and trim the zucchinis 1. Using a mandoline, slice them lengthwise to a thickness of about 1/8 in. 2 and place them in a baking dish 3.

Grate the lemon zest 4 and squeeze the juice 5, then transfer it to a bowl 6.

Season the juice with salt 7, pepper 8 and the lemon zest 9.

Finally add the oil and mix 10. Pour the dressing over the zucchini 11 and flavor with the basil leaves 12.

Cover with plastic wrap 13 and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. After the resting time, shave the cheese with a vegetable peeler 14. Retrieve the marinated zucchini and transfer them to a serving plate 15.

Finish with the cheese shavings 16, the pine nuts 17 and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The Ligurian zucchini carpaccio is ready to be served 18.