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1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta to one minute short of al dente, reserving at least 200 ml of the starchy cooking water before draining.
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2
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the chilli flakes, then lay the zucchine rounds in a single layer — work in batches if necessary; a crowded pan traps steam and the rounds will not colour. Fry without moving them until the underside is deep golden, then turn. The finished rounds must be amber, slightly caramelised at the edges, and dry to the touch: all visible moisture must have left the pan before the next step.
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3
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the grated Provolone del Monaco and a generous grinding of black pepper until the mixture is thick and homogeneous. Add two tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir to loosen to a pourable consistency.
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4
Remove the pan from the heat entirely and allow it to rest off the flame for thirty seconds. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss it through the zucchine. This is where the dish lives or dies: the pan must be completely off the heat before the egg mixture is introduced — the residual heat of the pasta and pan is the only warmth the emulsion can safely receive; direct flame scrambles the yolks without recovery.
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5
Pour the egg-and-cheese mixture over the pasta. Toss constantly and with purpose, adding the reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time. Continue tossing until the sauce is glossy, coats every strand, and moves as a single fluid mass rather than pooling at the base of the pan. Do not allow the pasta to sit still.
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6
Tear the mint or basil leaves over the surface and serve immediately on warmed plates. The sauce should still be fluid on the plate — it will tighten as it cools.