Spaghetti alla Nerano
The Sorrento coast's summer pasta: fried zucchini melted into spaghetti with Provolone del Monaco, Parmigiano and basil. Creamy, with no cream.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Rest
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Spaghetti alla Nerano turns zucchini into a sauce. Thin rounds are fried in olive oil until golden at the edges and soft in the middle, then left to rest, often overnight, so they turn sweet and almost jammy. The pasta finishes in the pan with the zucchini and plenty of its cooking water, and the cheese goes in off the heat: Provolone del Monaco, a semi-hard cheese from the hills above Sorrento, with a little Parmigiano. Tossed hard, the starch, oil and melting cheese become a pale, creamy coating with no cream in it at all. A few basil leaves go in at the end. Slice the zucchini evenly, 2–3 mm thick, so they soften right through before they brown. Done is spaghetti in a silky, savoury sauce full of soft zucchini, tasting of cheese, basil and summer.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Pasta, spaghetti360 g
- Zucchini, small and firm, sliced into 2–3 mm rounds800 g
- Provolone, Provolone del Monaco, finely grated100 g
- Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated40 g
- Basil, leaves1 handful
- Olive oil, for frying, plus 2 tbsp250 ml
- Garlic, lightly crushed (optional)1 clove
- Black pepper2½ ml
- Salt, for the water and zucchini15 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the zucchini in batches, without crowding, until golden at the edges and soft, about 4 minutes a batch. Drain on paper, salt lightly and tear a few basil leaves over them. Rest at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge.
25 min
Step 2
Boil the spaghetti in salted water until 2 minutes short of al dente. Meanwhile warm the zucchini in a wide pan with 2 tbsp oil and the garlic, if using, then remove the garlic. Add a ladle of pasta water and crush about a third of the zucchini.
10 min
Step 3
Add the spaghetti with another ladle of water and toss over the heat for a minute. Take the pan off the heat, add the cheeses in handfuls with splashes of water, tossing hard until creamy. Finish with basil and pepper.
3 min
Tip: If the sauce tightens or turns stringy, more hot water and more tossing, never more heat.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 418 kcal
- Protein
- 17.3 g
- Carbs
- 30.2 g
- Fat
- 26.2 g
- Saturated fat
- 8.7 g
- Fibre
- 3.5 g
- Sugar
- 5.8 g
- Sodium
- 1843 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Vegetarian
Vegetarian only with a vegetarian Parmigiano Reggiano: the traditional cheese is made with animal rennet.
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.
Substitutions
Provolone del Monaco → Aged provolone or caciocavallo
Sharper; use a little less with more Parmigiano.
Tips
- Fry in two or three batches so the oil stays hot and the zucchini colour instead of stewing.
- Provolone del Monaco is sharp and buttery; an aged provolone or caciocavallo is the closest swap.
History & culture
The dish belongs to Nerano, a fishing village at the tip of the Sorrento peninsula, and to the beach restaurants of Marina del Cantone below it, which serve it all summer to people who arrive by boat. Locals insist on Provolone del Monaco and on fried zucchini, not boiled or grilled, and treat cream as the sign of a shortcut kitchen.
The story told on the coast is that Maria Grazia, who ran a trattoria on the beach at Marina del Cantone, created the dish in the 1950s, and her family still cooks it under her name. It spread along the Sorrento and Amalfi coasts with the summer visitors who ate it there, and is now a Campanian classic.
Traditional — Fried zucchini, Provolone del Monaco, Parmigiano and basil. No cream, no garlic sauce, no egg.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Spaghetti alla Nerano take?
1 hr 55 min all in — 15 min prep, 40 min cook, 1 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Saucepan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tbsp (for the water and zucchini).
What can I use instead?
Provolone del Monaco → Aged provolone or caciocavallo. Sharper; use a little less with more Parmigiano.
Any tips from this recipe?
Fry in two or three batches so the oil stays hot and the zucchini colour instead of stewing. Provolone del Monaco is sharp and buttery; an aged provolone or caciocavallo is the closest swap.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the zucchini in batches, without crowding, until golden at the edges and soft, about 4 minutes a batch. Drain on paper, salt lightly and tear a few basil leaves over them. Rest at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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