Spaghetti alla Nerano with Fried Capers

Not rigidly authentic but freaking delicious

Spaghetti alla Nerano with fried capers (serves 4–6)

The original dish from Nerano (a town on the Amalfi Coast) was created in the 1950s at a trattoria called Maria Grazia and doesn’t include capers—but I can’t help myself. They crisp up beautifully in the oil leftover from frying the zucchini and add an amazing little hit of brininess that works so well here. And zucchini + capers basically scream for lemon. A little zest adds another layer with almost zero effort—so I say, why not?

You might know this dish because it’s the one Stanley Tucci went wild for on Searching for Italy. What’s so great about it is how simple and satisfying it is—just a few ingredients, cooked well, that turn into something kind of magical.

Many restaurants in Italy deep-fry the zucchini, and you can absolutely do that by adding about 1/2 to 1 inch of oil to your pan. I prefer a shallower “pan-fry” with about 1/8 inch of olive oil (or sunflower oil). It’s less fussy, easier to clean up, and still gives you beautifully golden results.