zucchini butter spaghetti

I am a little bit obsessed with this spaghetti. If we’ve spoken recently, I didn’t let you not asking me about it keep me from going on about its simple summer dinner bliss. I have been fixating on the idea of this spaghetti for two delicious summers and I am almost sad that the recipe is done, as it now transfers into the category of Things I Already Know How To Make, which always gets bumped when there are so many Recipes That Aren’t Done Yet for a little manuscript due at the end of this summer.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for pasta water, and to taste
• 8 ounces (225 grams) spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 1 cup (235 ml) pasta water, reserved
• 1 1/4 pounds (570 grams) zucchini, trimmed, coarsely grated
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1/2 cup (45 grams) grated parmesan
• Handful fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons