Pasta with creamy zucchini sauce, anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs

Name: Pasta with creamy zucchini sauce, anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fusilloni pasta 11.3 oz; Zucchini 1.1 lbs; Anchovies in oil 0.4 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Breadcrumbs ½ cup; Lemon peel 1; Fine salt to taste

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Lulù Gargari

Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce, Anchovies, and Toasted Breadcrumbs is a summer pasta worth knowing: sweet blended zucchini, a sharp hit of anchovy, and a shower of lemon-scented toasted breadcrumbs that crack against every bite. The zucchini does the heavy lifting here—blended smooth until it coats the fusilloni in a sauce that's rich without being heavy, and creamy without a drop of dairy. It's a seasonal dish built on contrasts, one that draws from what's best in the garden when zucchini is at its sweetest, and turns it into something savory and satisfying with very little effort.

Anchovies dissolve into the background just enough to pull everything toward savory without announcing themselves too loudly—this is a zucchini and anchovy pasta where neither element overwhelms the other. The toasted breadcrumbs, finished with grated lemon zest, bring crunch and brightness to every forkful. The whole thing comes together in the time it takes the pasta to cook, which makes it as practical as it is good: a low-cost, high-return weeknight dinner that doesn't ask much and delivers more than you'd expect.

How to prepare Pasta with creamy zucchini sauce, anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs

To prepare the pasta with creamy zucchini sauce, anchovies and breadcrumbs, trim the zucchini 1, then cut them first into sticks 2, then into cubes about 3/8 inch 3. Meanwhile, bring a pot full of salted water to a boil.

In a skillet heat the oil 4, add the zucchini 5 and flavor with a fillet of anchovy 6.

Sauté them in the pan until they are soft; it will take about 10 minutes over medium heat 7. Transfer the cooked zucchini to a jug 8, making sure to reserve a handful 9.

Add a ladle of the pasta cooking water 10, season with salt 11 and blend with an immersion blender 12.

You should obtain a smooth cream 13, adjusting the consistency with more water if needed. Transfer the cream to the skillet with the remaining zucchini cubes 14. In a separate pan toast the breadcrumbs with the oil for 2-3 minutes 15.

Scent with lemon zest 16 and set the breadcrumbs aside 17. Now cook the fusilloni for the time indicated on the package 18.

Drain the pasta directly into the skillet with the zucchini cream 19 and toss for one minute, adding a little cooking water if necessary 2021.

Serve the pasta with creamy zucchini sauce, anchovies and breadcrumbs 22, finishing with the topping 23 and the lemony crunchy breadcrumbs 34.

Storage

We recommend consuming the pasta with creamy zucchini sauce, anchovies and breadcrumbs immediately.

You can prepare the zucchini cream in advance and store it in the fridge.

Tip

You can also make a tasty vegetarian version of this first course by simply replacing the anchovies with oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, which you only need to cut into strips and sauté in the pan together with the zucchini.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

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