This is another incredible recipe brought to you by the Smitten Kitchen. When she says quick, she really means it. The whole thing takes less than 5 minutes and produces an incredibly delicious and complex dish with so few ingredients.
Technically this is a side dish, but I feel no shame in telling you that I ate the entire plate by myself for dinner last night.
I’m sure a green zucchini would be visually appealing here, but I only had yellow to work with. I used an oversized zucchini, so I omitted the squishy/seedy middle when matchsticking. Also, when measuring the cheese shavings, just follow your heart <3
Quick Zucchini Sauté
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced almonds
1 medium or 2 small zucchinis, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Peelings of pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, to taste
Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add enough oil to coat the pan well. Heat the oil until hot but not smoking, then add the almonds to the pan. Cook them, stirring, until the almonds are golden-brown, approximately a minute or two. Don’t skimp on this step; they provide a depth of flavor that carries the whole dish. Add the zucchini to the pan, tossing it with the oil and almonds until it just begins to glisten, about one minute. The idea is not to cook the zucchini so much as warm it so it begins to soften. Season well with salt and pepper, slide onto a plate, top with cheese (if using) and immediately dig in.