Zucchini Aglio et Olio

Sweat the noodles. Place the julienned zucchini in a colander or wire strainer and toss with salt until the strands are lightly coated. Allow the zucchini to sit for 20-30 minutes to remove excess water. Rinse with running water, drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. (You may be tempted to skip this step; I strongly advise against it. This step ensures tender, rather than watery, noodles.)

Prep the “bread crumbs.” While the zucchini is sweating in the colander, heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut oil, and when it’s melted, add the almond flour and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula, until the flour is toasty brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the almond dust to a plate to cool. (As it cools, the fat will solidify and make “crumbs,” so don’t worry if it’s just brown dust when you take it out of the pan. Press the dust together into a pile and let it do its thing.)

Cook the noodles. Return the pan to the medium-high heat and add the prepared zucchini noodles. Sauté them in the dry pan until just tender, about 1-2 minutes. Push the noodles to the side of the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper, stirring with the spoon until the garlic is fragrant, about 20 seconds. Push the zucchini noodles into the oil and stir gently until they’re coated. Turn off the heat and mix the parsley and black pepper into the noodles. Taste and add salt, if necessary.

To serve, sprinkle the noodles with the almond flour crumbs. Slurping and ridiculously big bites are heartily encouraged.