Zuchinni Noodles Aglio e Olio e Gamberi 

We shred summer squash – using a spiralizer, a julienne peeler, or by hand. That’s our “pasta.” And then we do it up aglio e olio style. That’s Italian for “garlic and oil.” E gamberi means “and shrimp,” and it’s the shrimp that transform what’s basically a glorified salad into a full-out meal.    

Now let’s talk cheese: there’s generic romano, and there’s pecorino romano. The pecorino version comes from sheep’s milk. It’s a million times better than a generic cow romano, and that’s a mathematical fact. If you use feta instead of romano, again, seek the sheep. Trust me.  

And salad shrimp… I love these! Baby shrimp, already cooked, super-easy, versatile, reasonably priced, and wild.  (Wild is important, because farm-raised shrimp can be pretty gross).  I add them to salads and slaws, omelettes, pastas, even savory waffles. And of course salads, for a punch of protein. Corn salad with shrimp and dill might be my next recipe… 

Serves 4 | 10 minutes prep | 10 minutes cook 

• 2.5 – 3 pounds yellow zucchini 
• ½ C good extra virgin olive oil 
• 4-6 cloves garlic, finely sliced or crushed
• ¼ C dried thyme, or mixed Italian dried herbs. (Yes, that much!)
• 1 16-oz bag frozen salad shrimp, thawed 
• at least 1 C grated pecorino romano, or feta 
• ground black pepper and cayenne to taste 

Instructions

1. Defrost the salad shrimp in the fridge in the morning. 
2. Spiralize or otherwise finely shred the summer squash into “noodles.” Set aside. 
3. In a pan large enough to eventually hold all the noodles, gently heat the oil with the garlic and herbs until the garlic just slightly softens.   
4. Add the zucchini, and continue to stir gently. Remember, you can eat zucchini raw, so how much you cook – nice and soft, or still a little crunchy – is entirely a matter of taste.   
5. Add the shrimp until they’re warmed through. (Remember, they’re already cooked!).  
6. Add some cheese, stir it in, serve with even more cheese