Heat a generous amount of sunflower oil in a deep saucepan or wok.
Sunflower oil for deep-frying
Slice the zucchini into super super thin rounds and then deep fry in the hot oil until they begin to turn golden. Drain the zucchini with a slotted spoon, place in a bowl and leave in the fridge to rest and soften for at least 2 hours.
6 medium zucchini
When you are ready to prepare the dish, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve some of the cooking water for the next step.
14 ounces spaghetti or pasta of choice
Heat the rested zucchini in a large frying pan along with 2 ladles of the spaghetti cooking water and season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
Salt, Freshly ground black pepper
Drain the spaghetti and add to the pan with the zucchini. Remove the pan from the heat, add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (add optional butter if desired) and toss everything together well.
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 spoonful butter
RICOTTA SAUCE - Combine all ingredients for Ricotta Sauce in a separate bowl, then add to pasta dish.
1 cup 8 ounces ricotta, 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest & juice, salt and pepper to taste
Divide into 4 portions, sprinkle each bowl with more Parmigiano-Reggiano and top with a few fresh basil leaves before serving.
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
