Rachel Roddy's orecchiette with courgettes, parmesan cream, and almonds celebrates the return of courgette season. The recipe was inspired by leftover parmesan cream from mortadella sandwiches, which improved the pasta dish significantly.
Courgette Season and Varieties
While courgettes are available year-round, the northern hemisphere season brings an abundance of fresh varieties. Roddy highlights the romanesco courgette, pale green with white speckles and ribbed like a Corinthian column, which has dense, creamy flesh ideal for boiling and sautéing. Another favorite is the warm-yellow gold rush, with buttery, pumpkin-like flesh that is both sweet and savory. Smooth-skinned varieties tend to hold more water, requiring evaporation during cooking.
Ingredients and Preparation
The recipe serves four and takes 5 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook. Ingredients include 3 large courgettes, 450g orecchiette, 2 tablespoons cream cheese (or robiola or double cream), 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan, 1 garlic clove, 5 tablespoons olive oil, and a handful of flaked almonds. Salt and black pepper are used to taste.
Courgettes are finely diced to 3mm x 3mm so they nestle in the pasta ears. The cream cheese and parmesan are mixed with black pepper to form a paste. Courgettes and garlic are gently fried in olive oil until softened, with pasta cooking water added to keep them moist.
Cooking Method
Pasta is boiled al dente, then transferred directly to the courgette pan with the cream cheese mixture. Tossing vigorously combines the elements; if watery, continue cooking until the sauce thickens. The dish is served topped with flaked almonds and extra grated parmesan.
Roddy notes that soft cheeses like cream cheese, goat's cheese, or robiola work well, with a ratio of 2 tablespoons cream cheese to 3 tablespoons parmesan. Additional flavorings like lemon zest, dried oregano, or minced parsley can be added. Finishing the pasta with the sauce and starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
