The Zucchini Alfredo recipe at the bottom of this post was inspired by the lunch Jerry and I had at Cipriani Dolici’s the day after we “rung” the Nasdaq closing bell last week.  If you can’t wait another moment to dive into this creamy low carb dish, scroll all the way down.

First, before I launch into our Nasdaq adventure and the decedent Zucchini Alfredo dish, I’d like to say thank you so much for reading my blog and a very VERY special thank you to all of you who have come up to me and told me how much you’ve been enjoying it.  I really appreciate your feedback, your emails, your comments, and all your love and support.

Thank you so much!!! 🙂

Back to Nasdaq and Cipriano’s…

Since Midland States Bancorp, Inc. (MSBI) recently went public and Jerry is on the board, we were invited by the bank executives to attend them as they rung the Nasdaq closing bell.  I was extremely excited to be apart of this event but, honestly, I had no idea what to expect.  

Nasdaq and NYSE

First of all, whenever anyone mentions either Nasdaq or the NYSE, I immediately get visions of traders packed together signaling wildly amidst flying bits of ticker tape.  Actually, the NYSE is an auction style market that historically traded like that but now most trades are done electronically off the floor.  On the other hand, the Nasdaq is a dealer market traded over via computers and the trading is done directly between investors, buyers, and sellers.  

I was surprised to learn the closing and opening bell ceremonies for the Nasdaq are done in a studio located at 4 Times Square, not at their main headquarters in the financial district.  It may or may not be broadcast by CNN, FOX, or CNBC, but they do shoot it up on the Jumbotrons all over Times Square for an hour.  And that, my friends, is soooooooo cool!!!

The Nasdaq team who coordinate and orchestrate the bell ring ceremonies are pros.  As a result, they left us plenty of time to snap as many pictures and videos as we wanted.  

Cipriani Dolci (Grand Central Station)

The following day Jerry and I walked around the city and decided to check out Cipriani Dolci in Grand Central Station at 89 East 42nd Street.  I was a little afraid the restaurant was going to be second rate and kind of cheesy.  It’s not at all!  It over looks the main hall of Grand Central Station which is beautiful and it was fun to watch everyone hustling to and fro.  

We even dined under the stars!  The overhead constellation depicts the Mediterranean winter sky… backwards.

The service was impeccable and the presentation was excellent.  I particularly loved the adorable little individual pitchers in which they bring the wine to the table.  So stinking cute!!!

I started with the octopus salad which was light and lemony.  Jerry thoroughly enjoyed his salad.  It was a simple green salad with an olive oil vinaigrette and huge sheets of parmesan cheese.  Yep, he was in heaven.

I was in heaven too with my baked Tagliolini with Ham.  Tagliolini is a thin flat noodle about 1/3 the width of a fettuccini.  It was handmade, covered in a creamy pepper Alfredo sauce with thinly sliced ham.  All of this was submerged in a melted medley of white Italian cheeses lightly broiled to a golden brown.  Super yum… slurp slurp.

Making it at home

I was so excited to try something like this at home, but with a low carb high fat twist.  What I loved most about this dish and what I tried to recreate, was its 3 distinct layers: pasta, Alfredo sauce, and baked cheese.  In order to keep this recipe low carb keto, I substituted the Cipriani’s pasta with spiraled zucchini.  Hence, the Zucchini Alfredo recipe made it’s debut around our table this weekend.  But if you’re not worried about carbs, go with angel hair pasta or if you’re lucky enough, homemade tagliolini.  Let me know how you like it!

Zucchini Alfredo Recipe

Serve this spiralized zucchini as a wonderful low carb meal.  It is bathed in a creamy cheesy Alfredo sauce and baked in the oven until golden brown.  Put a salad on the table with it and dinner is complete. | www.lakesidetable.com

• Author: Madalaine
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Main Course, Side Dish
• Method: Stove Top and Oven
• Cuisine: Italian American

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchinis, spiralized or ribboned with a vegetable peeler
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, dried
• 1/3 cup fresh herbs, chopped (I like a mix of parsley, sage, and thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg, grated
• 1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded (mix of mozzarella & parmesan)
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Equipment

• spiralizer or vegetable peeler
• measuring cups and spoons
• knife and cutting board
• whisk and mixing bowl
• skillet
• casserole dish

Instructions

1. Wash but don’t peel the zucchinis.  Spiralize the zucchinis and spread them out on a clean dish towel.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.  The salt will begin to draw out the mixture in the zucchini.

2. Melt the butter over low heat in the skillet.  Once the butter is melted, add the minced onions. When the onions are soft, add the dry Italian herbs. Adding the dry herbs to the heat at this point opens them up and allows their flavor to penetrate into the butter which will transfuse into the rest of the sauce. Watch carefully. You do not want the herbs to burn. Add the garlic.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks into the heavy cream. This will thicken the sauce once heated.

4. Pour cream and yolk mixture into the skillet. Add nutmeg. Stir constantly and increase the heat to medium-low. As the sauce starts to bubble, it will also thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

   Once sauce has thickened, turn off heat.

5. Arrange the squash evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.

   Pour the sauce over the zucchini. Cover with shredded cheese and chopped herbs.  Broil until the cheese turns a light golden brown. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

Inspired by NYC Cipriani Dolci’s Tagliolini Alfredo.

Variations: A slice of sautéd eggplant or try thinly sliced pork loin or chicken for an added protein boost.

To turn this dish into an elegant pasta dish, simply replace the zucchini with your favorite prepared pasta.  Enjoy!