Orecchiette pasta with Zucchini and Speck
A delicious combination of summer vegetables, smoked cured ham from Northern Italy and orecchiette pasta from Southern Italy. It’s easy to make and can be eaten tepid or cold as a salad
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2-3 zucchini (depending on size)
- 150 g speck or pancetta (slices or in one piece)
- 320 g orecchiette pasta (preferrably fresh)
- 1 onion
- 6-8 cherry tomatoes
- 50 g parmesan (grated)
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6-8 basil leaves
- salt (for cooking pasta and to season)
- black pepper (to season)
Instructions
- 1
Slice the onion thinly, cut the zucchini into small strips, half the tomatoes, chop the basil and cut the speck into small pieces.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet and add the onion. When the onion starts to soften add the zucchini strips and, after a few minutes, the chopped speck.
- 3
Let the ingredients cook until the speck and zucchini start to brown a little then add the halved tomatoes and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes.
- 4
Before the sauce is ready, add salt and pepper to taste and the chopped basil. Set the sauce aside or let it simmer on low.
- 5
Cook the pasta al dente in boiling salted water. Save a cup of the pasta cooking water. Strain the orecchiette and add them to the frying pan.
- 6
Mix everything together and continue cooking for a couple minutes. If the sauce is too dry add some of the pasta cooking water.
- 7
Serve with grated parmesan or grana cheese and a little more olive oil is desired.