Malloreddus pasta with zucchini and basil cream, and zucchini alla scapece and tuna bottarga

• 10 minutes to prepare • 15 minutes to cook • Serves 4

 

10 MINUTES 

Pasta with zucchini, basil and bottarga is a tasteful seasonal dish, tasty and and quick to prepare.

The flavor of zucchini - both sauteed and alla scapece - combined with basil and bottarga (for those who missed it, here is the explanation of what bottarga is) creates a unique flavour combination.
As for all simple dishes, it is essential to start from the top ingredients; buy some nice zucchini - I found the white ones to be more tasty in this time of the year -, a good tuna bottarga to be grated and a great pasta: I chose for this occasion some Sardinian Malloreddus pasta.

To make this dish even more scrumptious, you may decide to add 1 tablespoon of Stracciatella or a creamy, melting cheese...the choice is all yours!

Here's what you will need for the 4-serving recipe:

400 g Malloreddus pasta
400 g fresh zucchini
2 cloves garlic
20 basil leaves, coarsely minced
1 shallot
white wine vinegar
tuna bottarga
salt and pepper
EVO oil

1. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of EVO oil; chop the shallot and add it to the pan. Sautée until golden
2. Meanwhile, wash, clean, chop zucchini and add them, too, with some salt
3. Cook gently perfuming with a pinch of pepper for 5 minutes
4. Blend the mixture of zucchini flowers with the basil leaves, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and a few grains of salt to get a cream
5. Prepare some zucchini alla scapece, too, as described here, and keep aside
6. Boil water in a pot, add salt and once started to bubble, pour Malloreddus pasta. Let them cook for about 10 minutes
7. Drain pasta al dente and pour it into the pan with zucchini and basil cream. Toss to mix well for a few moments
8. Grate some tuna bottarga and place few slices of zucchini alla scapece on top of each plate and serve immediately!

In the following, Nutrition Facts of this dish are indicated. Data is provided per serving.