The Only Good Itch Is the Pickled Itch
Spiral zucchini are not a good substitute for pasta, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Expecting the “itch” to replace real noodles is too much pressure, but that doesn’t mean zucchini strands won’t taste good when treated like vegetables.
Zoodles are great for stir-fry ( with rice) or crunchy fried pancakes , but their curly shape really makes them a great candidate for pickling. Think about it: disc-shaped sliced pickles tend to slide and slide off sandwiches, but the tangle of pickled itches has a coarser, more grippy texture to help them stay in place, and their noodle-like shape makes them more fun to stack over cheese. … And, unlike many zucchini pickles (especially those made from large, tough zucchini ), there is no need to season with salt and remove moisture in advance – just soaking in brine is enough.
You can use any pickle recipe you like, but I’ve adapted my Big Pickle to make a variety of subtle pickles. All you need is vinegar, sugar, salt and some mustard.
Pickled itches (can be increased if you have an absurd amount of itches):
Ingredients:
- 1-2 cups spiral courgettes
- 5 cloves garlic, minced or chopped (optional)
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 6 peppercorns (optional)
Place the zucchini in a sanitized jar and fill it with itching, and add garlic if using. Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Cover the itch with hot brine, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Serve on a cheese board, sandwich, or something else that can use a mix of sweet and sour pickles.