It is not just a pasta alla zucchini. Pasta alla Nerano has a very special ingredient that is the Provolone del Monaco, a melting cheese making this tasty and greedy first course for real gourmets.

Nerano called spaghetti

Pasta alla Nerano is an invented Campania dish in the Mariagrazia restaurant, in Nerano precisely, in 1952.
The format of pasta used in this recipe is the classic spaghetti, although there is also a version with short pasta. We suggest, however, to stick to the traditional recipe. Spaghetti makes the difference! All creamy condiments are particularly well combined with long pasta that wraps them to perfection.

What is the provolone del Monaco

The special ingredient of this pasta, in addition to fried zucchini, is the Provolone del Monaco. It is so called because in ancient times the cheesemakers who landed in the port of Naples at dawn with their load of provolone, to protect themselves from humidity, used to wear cloaks similar to those of the monks.
This provolone is a semi-hard cheese with spun dough, seasoned, produced in the Sorrento Peninsula only with raw milk.

The recipe for pasta alla Nerano

The recipe for spaghetti alla Nerano is really simple and quick to make.
First of all fry the zucchini in extra virgin olive oil cut thinly to the knife. Taste them from raw to understand if they are sweet. If they have a bitter aftertaste, do not use them because they would ruin the dish.
Once fried, drain and dry with absorbent paper.
in the meantime cook the spaghetti and aside, fry two cloves of garlic in a pan with oil over low heat. Drain the pasta al dente conserving the water and complete cooking in the pan with the oil, after removing the garlic.
Add the zucchini after having seasoned with a few knobs of butter and complete with del grated provolone, but only at the end to cream and give creaminess to the dish. Serve with fresh basil.

Errors not to be committed

Choose small and sweet zucchini and be careful not to burn them.
Fry in hot oil (strictly extra virgin olive oil and never seeds!), But do not let it darken too much.
Do not replace the provolone with other cheeses. The result will not be the same. You can even dare with a caciocavallo if you do not find anything else.
These spaghetti go served hot otherwise they lose creaminess.
Attention to 'cooking water, it is essential to keep it aside to spoil the pasta.
The final touch is the fresh basil. Do not underestimate it. From perfume and color.