Stanley Tucci Claims This Pasta Dish Is One Of The Best Things He's Ever Eaten
While you may recognize him as a fashion designing icon in "The Devil Wears Prada" or announcing to the Capitol in "The Hunger Games" franchise, the real-life beloved actor Stanley Tucci may most commonly be seen digging into a delicious plate of pasta. The multi-talented star of the big and small screen has made his love for all things Italian food well known – one dish in particular made such an impact that it became a weekly meal in the Tucci household (Via New Yorker).
The dish in question is called Spaghetti alla Nerano. In his food-fueled show on CNN called "Searching For Italy," Tucci takes one bite of the Spaghetti alla Nerano and claims it is "Even better than I remember. It's just one of the best things I've ever had in my life."
Coming from a well-traveled actor and chef with two published cookbooks and a memoir featuring beloved recipes, that is quite the compliment. The simplistic pasta dish only has a handful of ingredients, and the surprising star component that elevates this dish to new heights is the addition of zucchini. Even picky eaters who turn their noses up at veggies won't mind this unexpected way to cook with zucchini, accompanied by pasta, butter, and handfuls of cheese to create a dish that Tucci swears is life-changing.
Spaghetti alla Nerano is a relatively new addition to Italian cuisine
It isn't easy to pinpoint an exact history or origin for most pasta recipes since a majority of them were passed down orally for generations before any kind of recipe card or how-to manual could be followed. However, the origins of Spaghetti alla Nerano can be precisely traced because the popular dish didn't arrive on the scene until the 1950s. The restaurant Maria Grazia is credited with inventing the dish during the '50s. The dish got its name from the village in which was founded, Nerano, off the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Some believe the legend that the Prince of Sirignano visited this quaint seaside restaurant during off hours when there was little food left to prepare a meal except for pasta, zucchini, and cheese. Whether this dish was invented amongst royal company or simply as an experimental dish to add to the menu, it has quickly become a fan-favorite amongst tourists, locals, and movie stars alike.
Most great zucchini recipes make it the star of the show, but the magic of Spaghetti alla Nerano is how well-incorporated the ingredients are, making for a perfect bite of fresh, complementary flavors. The fried zucchini also provides a satisfying texture variance to an otherwise very common cheesy pasta dish. This meal may in fact be one of Stanley Tucci's chic "last meal" requests, and anyone who has tried this dish for themselves wouldn't blame him.
Stanley Tucci has made Spaghetti alla Nerano even more well-known
When the unproblematic fave Stanley Tucci claims that Spaghetti alla Nerano is one of the best things he has ever eaten, we'll have what he's having. This is the mindset of so many tourists who have traveled to Nerano to experience the life-changing dish for themselves. The local restaurant, Lo Scoglio da Tommaso, is home to the dish that famously had Tucci eating zucchini pasta by the forkful on his show, "Searching for Italy." New Yorker writer Daniel Ford traveled to the same destination to try this popular pasta firsthand and confirmed that there is something special about the uncomplicated recipe. The author even heard multiple people ordering at the restaurant with the simple phrase, "Whatever Tucci had."
@amateurgourmet Can Stanley Tucci's zucchini pasta turn me into a zucchini lover? Well this combination of fried zucchini slices, butter, Parmesan, and black pepper definitely has a decent shot. See the results in today's video! (You can get the full recipe on CNN's site.) #pasta #stanleytucci #italian #zucchini #zucchinipasta #tucci #fyp #italiancooking #pastatiktok #spaghetti
Curious fans who weren't able to hop over to Italy have tried their hand at recreating Spaghetti alla Nerano at home and sharing their attempts on TikTok. One user, a self-proclaimed zucchini hater, changed their tune about the fruit after enjoying this tasty dish. The user confirms that the cheesy, zucchini-filled pasta dish lives up to the hype, calling it "One of the most incredible pastas I've ever had."