"Raw" pasta is fantastic!

it's been so mild here in central Canada lately. Really nice--sleeping with all the windows open, no heat on and I've been loving this "raw pasta"--coincidentally, something you can eat a lot of, without that awful tired pasta feeling--or any heaviness--and to me it's even better than (the once-beloved) fettuccine, with its sauce and parmigiano reggiano. I actually get energy from eating this--which is what the raw foodists are always trying to tell us cooked food people. The really amazing thing is, I don't actually like zucchini--at least historically, I haven't--not since the days when everyone grew it and you couldn't give it away--back in the day of zucchini canoes and such...haven't liked it  cooked, and not in the usual raw ways.
( crudites with dip, etc)


Try this--if you haven't!

For one person, maybe 2 zucchini, mid-sized

peel the zucchini, if they are not organic. and tip them. (cut off the tips) I like a little of the yellow and green in there ( I guess technically the yellow is 'summer squash')in thin ribbons, so I half-peel them, striping them lengthwise.

Then peel them ( lengthwise of course) down to the seedy core, going around and around--the trick here is to peel the 'high points', and in this way to get nice, fairly narrow strips--somewhere between linguine and fettuccine. I don't have any appliance for this besides a good peeler, but I really enjoy the 'making'. Then let the peels marinate in a spoonful of good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. And garlic, fresh-pressed if you like that.
Then whizz up a sauce with either fresh raw tomatoes like grape tomatoes, or I have just used canned crushed tomatoes.
(you don't need much)

Let the zucchini sit for maybe fifteen minutes or so--It's nice to have it al dente (with teeth) rather than without! and it will in time get quite soft.

And to the tomato I add a splash of cider vinegar, and some slivered black olives (kalamata)

You could also add one date, as some raw food people do, ( to a 'sauce' made of both raw tomatoes AND soaked sun-dried). You could add basil, cilantro--whatever your heart desires.

Maybe even a little anchovy if you eat fish...

Anyway--it's delicious. And it's one of those foods that has lots of nutrients and very little actual 'weight'.  :-)
I have eaten this for the last two days and my partner teels me he could eat it for a month or two straight...and he very rarely says (of food) "I love it"...though he often very much likes it.


EDit__ I forgot to mention: this is better, in my opinion, with the tomato sauce added just before you eat.



Tweet