Tagliatelle with Zucchini Flowers
One of the joys of a home garden is being able to walk outdoors on a summer morning and find these beautiful, huge yellow blossoms opening up to the sun. They’re highly perishable but if you don’t pluck them today, new ones appear the next day to bid you welcome. My favorite way to enjoy them is stuffed and deep-fried as in this recipe I posted last year, but there are only so many times one can eat fried foods without guilt pangs. This recipe for tagliatelle is also delicious and uses the zucchini as well as the flowers. You could skip the zucchini and make it with only the flowers if you want a really delicate flavor. Or make it with only the zucchini if you don’t have a vegetable garden or access to a great farmer’s market. 
Here is the cast of characters for a meal for two: 
Plus about 8 oz. of fresh tagliatelle (I used the Rana brand available at Shoprite – it’s the next best thing to homemade) – or dried pasta. I used garlic scapes since I still had some left over from a couple of weeks ago, but you could substitute garlic cloves. Ingredients: 2 small zucchini, or about 1 cup sliced small zucchini 2 garlic scapes or garlic cloves 2 T. diced red or yellow onion 2 T. olive oil salt generous grinding of black pepper fresh herbs (I used some basil, parsley and thyme, but you could just as well use all parsley or all basil – whatever your preference) parmesan cheese 6 zucchini blossoms 8 oz. fresh or dried pasta Start the water boiling for the pasta and add some salt. Saute the onion, garlic and zucchini slices in the olive oil until the zucchini is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. While the zucchini is nearly cooked, add the pasta to the pot of water. After it’s cooked (al dente), drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water. Add the pasta to the pot with the zucchini, adding a little bit of the pasta water as well. Stir in the zucchini blossoms, the herbs and more freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and douse with another tablespoon of olive oil and parmesan cheese. Buon appetito. 
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I love that you posted this. I've been wanting to make stuffed blossoms. The recipes I have are to stuff and chill. Have you had them uncooked?
This is so cool! I love that you made something with the flowers that aren't stuffed or fried. My mom has been looking. I will send this to her!
Ahhh finally, a recipe with zucchini blossoms that doesn't require stuffing and deep-frying them. This looks healthy and delicious. I wonder if there's still time for me to find the blossoms somewhere…
I love zucchini flowers and cook with them a few times a week. Your recipe looks delicious!
I haven't tried zucchini flowers but it looks like squash flowers and it looks really delish with pasta!
Your pasta looks wonderful! the pictures are beautiful
Feeling the pinch of envy… we killed our zucchini plants this year by leaving them in a too-small container. Next year!
What a colorful and refined dish! Very appetizing!
Cheers,
Rosa
you know I love me some fiori de zucca….
This is truly a gorgeous meal! Sadly I cannot get zucchini flowers in France but I'd make this anyway. Great summer meal!
Wow, this pasta dish looks delicious…zucchini and zucchini blossom…yummie! Very healthy as well.
my goal is to eat zucchini flowers when I'm in Italy next month. This looks great.
If you're serving lunch, I'd like to place my order now. this truly looks wonderful!
This is a gorgeous dish! I still have to try zucchini flowers, they sound amazing with tagliatelle!
Linda, this looks just beautiful. Not to mention delicious! I've never had them non-stuffed but I once had a bad experience with a stuffed one – I was dining at an upscale gastropub and ordered them as a starter. The filling was wonderful when I bit into it – until my teeth hit a big piece of white plastic! I think it was from a cup or some packaging.
I have zucchini flowers but I haven't touched them because I didn't want to fry them. What a great idea this is. It looks absolutely scrumptious Linda!
Oh i love zuchinni flowers! I made some this past week-end, stuffed with ricotta, herbs and lemon zest and tempura.. mmmm. Never tried them in a pasta but i'll try next time.
That looks delicious!!!
It was an very Interesting read That This recipe for tagliatelle is also Look delicious and uses the zucchini as well as the flowers. I could skip the zucchini and make it with only the flowers if I want a really delicate flavor. Or make it with only the zucchini if I don’t have a vegetable garden or access to a great farmer’s market.