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Orecchiette with Zucchini and Stracciatella Cheese
Orecchiette with zucchini and stracciatella is a fresh and creamy pasta dish inspired by the flavors of Puglia. It combines one of the region’s most iconic pasta shapes with tender zucchini, fragrant basil and the rich, milky texture of stracciatella cheese.
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh orecchiette pasta - 14 oz
- 500 g zucchini - 1.1 lb, about 3 medium
- 250 g stracciatella cheese - 9 oz
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 organic lemon - the finely grated zest
- 8 to 10 leaves fresh basil
- fine salt - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
Make the Zucchini Sauce
- Wash and dry the basil leaves. Finely grate the lemon zest, taking care to remove only the yellow outer layer and not the bitter white pith.
- Wash the zucchini thoroughly and trim off both ends. Cut them into thin rounds or half-moon slices, depending on their size.
- Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet. Add the peeled garlic clove and heat over low to medium heat for about 1 minute. Let the garlic gently flavor the oil without allowing it to burn.
- Add the sliced zucchini to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini are tender and lightly golden but not mushy.
- Remove and discard the garlic clove.
- Transfer about half of the cooked zucchini to a tall container. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of hot pasta cooking water.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Leave the remaining zucchini slices in the skillet.
- Pour the zucchini cream back into the skillet and mix it with the zucchini pieces.
Cook the Orecchiette
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fresh orecchiette and cook until al dente, following the cooking time indicated on the package. Fresh orecchiette generally take about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on their thickness.
- Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add it as needed to loosen the sauce and help it coat the orecchiette evenly.
- Drain the orecchiette and transfer them directly to the skillet with the zucchini sauce.
- Cook over high heat for about 1 minute, stirring gently.
- Turn off the heat and add the grated lemon zest and a few torn basil leaves.
Serve
- Add about half of the stracciatella cheese.
- Stir gently until the stracciatella begins to melt into the zucchini sauce. Do not cook it over direct heat, or it may lose its fresh, creamy texture.
- Divide the orecchiette among the plates. Top each serving with the remaining stracciatella cheese.
- Finish with freshly ground black pepper, a few basil leaves and, if desired, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 695kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 31gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 329mgPotassium: 593mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 309IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 498mgIron: 2mg
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