Recipe courtesy of Amanda Cohen

Zucchini Pasta

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 1 day 1 hr 20 min
  • Prep: 1 hr
  • Inactive: 1 day
  • Cook: 20 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
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Ingredients

Pasta:

Yogurt Sauce:

Spice Mix:

Falafel Balls:

Pickled Red Onions:

Pickled Squash Blossoms Relish:

Preserved Zucchini:

Zucchini Chips:

Zucchini Ribbons:

Directions

  1. For the pasta: In food processor or by hand, mix the flour, tarragon puree, and mint puree. Add 1 teaspoon salt, the beaten egg, and oil. Mix until the dough feels silky.
  2. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 1/2 hour. Roll the pasta out to setting number 4 on your pasta roller. You might need to add extra flour if the dough feels sticky. Cut each slab of pasta dough into 1/8-inch strands. Sprinkle with semolina flour and let dry out. 
  3. For the yogurt sauce: In a blender mix the yogurt and saffron until smooth.
  4. For the spice mix: Add the ground cumin, coriander, parsley, granulated garlic, chile powder, granulated onion, sumac, za'atar, allspice, red chile pepper, and pepper to a container with a tight fitting lid and store for up to 6 months.
  5. For the falafel balls: Pulse the chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, red onion, garlic, spice mix, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and baking soda together in a food processor until the chickpeas are small pebbles.
  6. Roll the mixture into little balls about the size of a large marble - smaller than a golf ball, bigger than a large marble, roughly. 
  7. For the pickled red onions: Mix the red onion with 1/2 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Let sit for 2 hours and then massage the onions until they feel soft. Rinse onions under cold water. Mix again with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons lime juice. After sitting for 24 hours it will be ready to use.
  8. For the squash blossoms relish: Heat the sugar, salt and vinegar until the mixture reaches a low boil. Let cool. Pour over the blossoms and let it sit until the blossoms have softened.
  9. For the preserved zucchini: Soften the zucchini with 1/4 cup salt for 1 hour. Rinse the zucchini. Blend the garlic and olive oil. Heat the oil mixture to a soft boil. Add the sugar and vinegar to the mixture and return it to a boil. Turn off the mixture and let cool down to a warm temperature. Put the zucchini, tarragon, and mint into a quart container and pour the warm oil to completely cover. Let the container sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 day.
  10. For the relish: Heat a grill and lightly grease the grate. Grill the zucchini until grill lines and char marks have formed. Dice the grilled zucchini. Chop squash blossoms. Mix the blossoms and the zucchini together.
  11. Zucchini chips: Either in a dehydrator, or an oven on its lowest setting, make 2-inch flat rounds with the grated zucchini. Let it dry for at least 4 hours. Dry until satisfied with firmness.
  12. Zucchini ribbons and serving: 
  13. Using a spiral machine or mandoline, make a very long, thin strip of zucchini. In a pan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons oil and garlic. Add the yogurt sauce and water to thin out to desired consistency. Add the zucchini ribbons. In a boiling pot of water add 1/2 the pasta. Cook for 2 minutes, remove with slotted spoon and then add to the yogurt sauce. Mix all together and then divide evenly among 4 plates. 
  14. In another pan heat the rest of the oil over medium-high heat and then add the 12 falafel balls. Cook for 5 minutes. Place 3 falafel balls into each bowl. Place 3 tablespoons of the zucchini relish on top of each pasta. Set a zucchini chip on top of the relish and sprinkle with the pickled red onions.

Cook’s Note

*It must be blanched, shocked and then pureed

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