Fried Zucchini Spaghetti from Gwyneth Paltrow

This recipe from the April issue of Food & Wine is apparently one of Gwyneth Paltrow's favorites, adapted from Elio's in NYC,  and will appear in her upcoming book, My Father's Daughter. I was a little bit of a snoot about Ms. Paltrow's cooking talents, but I was wrong.  This was a huge hit this evening, for supper with friends.  I think I'd add another couple of squeezes of lemon or even some lemon zest.  But do try it. You won't be disappointed.

Ingredients

1. 1 pound small zucchini, very thinly sliced crosswise (*I sliced them about a 1/4 inch)
2. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3. Salt
4. 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5. 3/4 pound spaghetti
6. 1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
7. 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
8. Freshly ground pepper
9. Lemon wedges, for serving (*I squeezed half a meyer lemon into the pan)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the flour and a pinch of salt. In a very large skillet, heat half of the oil until shimmering. Add half of the zucchini and fry over high heat, turning once or twice, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to a paper towel–lined wire rack and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining oil and zucchini.
2. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the 1 cup of cheese, the basil and a generous pinch of pepper. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing well to coat. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and top with the crispy zucchini. Serve right away with lemon wedges and additional cheese. 

Serve alone or as I did, with pounded chicken paillards and an easy chopped salad.

(recipe via Food & Wine magazine)