Name: Spaghetti alla Nerano
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 ounces of spaghetti cooked al dente saving pasta water; 4 or 5 medium-size zucchini sliced 1/8 of an inch thick (around 1 zucchini per person, I use a mandolin to slice mine); 4 cloves of garlic are cleaned and sliced in half; olive oil for frying zucchini (around an inch deep in the pan); 2 tablespoons butter cut up into very small pieces; 1 cup of a medley of Parmesan Reggiano grated cheese, Pecorino Romano, Sharp shreds of Provolone ( use all Provolone del Monaco which is from the original recipe if you can find it); salt and pepper to taste; Garnish with freshly torn basil leaves or flat leaves of Italian parsley; Optional: red pepper flakes for heat

This creamy Italian Spaghetti alla Nerano was a dish first introduced by Maria Grazia and a vintage delicious pasta dish.

The dish pasta alla Nerano was served for the first time in 1952 in the small bay town of Nerano surrounded by one of the most untouched and dramatic areas on the Amalfi Coast in the Sorrento peninsula.

The ristorante da Maria Grazia invented this creamy pasta recipe using local and seasonal ingredients such as zucchini and cheese Provolone del Monaco a staple from the Region in Italy, which was what gave this dish its distinct flavors.

We've adapted the ingredients by using a blend of creamy grated cheeses to give it a robust flavor as this Provolone del Monaco is not easily available (however you can order it online with our affiliate link below).

This pasta recipe is easy, quick to make, and is a family favorite Italian recipe.

Thinly sliced fried zucchini on top of a creamy bed of spaghetti makes this a most memorable dish to whomever you serve this to.

The cheeses Parmesano Reggiano and sharp provolone made this a memorable dish of pasta and with a twirling of spaghetti, the strings of cheese were the perfect substitutions.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my favorite Stanley Tucci's fantastic journey with his series "Searching for Italy"he has said this is the pasta that has changed his life and although not his famous recipe, we have made a delicious version.

Scroll down to the recipe card for our easy directions on how to make Spaghetti Alla Nerano.

Step By Step Spaghetti alla Nerano

fry the zucchini rounds in garlic-infused oil until golden and salt, pepper them drain on paper towels
cook the spaghetti al dente to package instructions saving the pasta water
add the zucchini to a deep saucepan with oil add some pasta water then the pasta
in a bowl add hot pasta water with cheese and make it creamy add this to the pasta in the pot
toss the pasta with cheese and butter to coat evenly with tongs
garnish with fresh basil or parsley

Ingredients You Will Need exact measurements are in the recipe card that's printable below

spaghetti
reserved pasta water
grated Provolone Del Monaco is the original recipe and cheese of choice however if you can't get this substitute Parmesano Reggiano, and a blend of Pecorino Romano cheese, with grated provolone)
salt and pepper to taste
butter

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Suggestions and Tips:

use sharp provolone if you can't find Provolone del Monaco(see notes)
the oil needs to be infused with garlic remove it after it's golden, not brown
get all the ingredients prepared before adding and follow the steps
cook the pasta al dente to the package instructions
Grandma always made Homemade Pasta and cut it very thin by hand;
serve with more cheese and freshly cracked black pepper
pasta water needs to be kept hot after the pasta is done cooking
the pasta is gently tossed in with the creamy cheese
cook the pasta al dente do not forget to save some pasta water
zucchini should be sliced 1/8 inch thick and golden brown when fried
toss the pasta with tongs and make sure the cheese isn't lumpy it should be melted and creamy
serve this dish immediately after combining the ingredients
Note: Provolone del Monaco, or “Monk’s Provolone” is one of only two types of provolone, produced in the Po Valley in northern Italy. The milk comes from local Agerolese cows, which is said to give it its unique and robust flavor. It is aged at least 180 days.

this is a collage on how to make zucchini and spaghetti all nerano

Pasta to Use

spaghetti
tagliatelle
linguine
vermicelli
bucatini
tonnarelli

Pasta that has ridges like rigatoni, penne, and fettuccine or fusilli can be another nice addition, however, the traditional pasta to use is tonnarelli, spaghetti.

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Adapted Recipe

If you're looking for a recipe with sauce and lots of ingredients this isn't made with tomato sauce not one drop of it and this is adapted to what we have to work with for ingredients here in America with some substitutions.

Until you can get an authentic dish from Nerano, our version will be a nice addition to your pasta recipe collection.

A dish with simple ingredients and made our way as authentic as possible.