Zucchini Pasta

3 large zucchini
Salt
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound pasta
Olive oil
Parmesan or other aged cheese, optional

Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it in a large bowl. 

Grate the zucchini, on the smallest holes of a cheese grater, into the colander. 

Toss the zucchini with a pinch of salt and the garlic and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Squeeze the zucchini to extract all the liquid; you should have about 1/2 cup of juice. 

Set aside both the grated zucchini and the juice.

Parboil the pasta in lightly salted boiling water for half the time suggested on the package, then drain. Bring 1/4 cup of the zucchini juice to a boil in the now empty pasta pot. 

Toss in the pasta and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until al dente, adding more zucchini juice a little at a time so it absorbs into the pasta and creates a nice glaze.

You have a choice on how to finish the dish. 

You can either toss the pasta with the raw grated zucchini and top with a drizzle of raw olive oil or, if you prefer, fry the zucchini in a skillet on high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until crispy, and then toss into the pasta. 

Serve the pasta topped with grated or shaved cheese, if you like.

recipe from  Rural Intelligence