Ingredient Substitution Guide

1. Step 1

   Place the zucchini in a large colander set over a medium bowl or in the sink. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to drain.

2. Step 2

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes shy of al dente.

3. Step 3

   While the pasta cooks, thinly slice the garlic. Stem and seed the chiles, then tear them into bite-size pieces. Finely chop half of the parsley, leaving the other half whole.

4. Step 4

   When the pasta is done cooking, turn off the heat. Transfer the zucchini to a medium bowl, then pat very dry with a clean towel. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta into the colander, then return the pot to the stove. (As it sits, the residual heat should remove any remaining moisture.)

5. Step 5

   To the empty pot, add the oil, garlic, chiles and the whole parsley (reserving the chopped parsley) and place over medium heat. Season with salt to taste and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and just starts to brown at the edges, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns bright green, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved pasta water and stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

6. Step 6

   Add the drained spaghetti and stir until well combined. Add the reserved chopped parsley and cheese, if using. Taste for salt, and add more if needed. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Any spaghetti works here, but with such a minimalist dish, it doesn’t hurt to use pasta that’s been extruded specifically from bronze die, which results in a rough, porous surface that absorbs more flavor.

• Mild in heat with rich, savory fruitiness, dried guajillo chiles and chiles de arbol can be found at many supermarkets, Mexican grocery stores and online. A single teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes works in a pinch; just be sure to use a dried red chile that’s fresh and fragrant. A single whiff should smell intoxicatingly sweet.