"Raw" pasta with courgettes

The recipes are coming back to Party vista mare! 

Today’s is a special, fresh, summery recipe that my grandmother taught my mother and my mother taught me. The peculiarity is that the pasta isn’t boiled separately, but cooked in a pan with the other ingredients. Curious? Now I’ll describe step by step how to prepare this dish.

For two people you need: 

300 g of courgettes 

100 g of fresh cherry tomatoes 

200 g of pasta (mezzanelli, sedanini or penne type) 

50 g Parmesan 

basil 

garlic 

salt and extravirgin olive oil to taste

In a pan large enough to hold also the pasta, heat the oil with a clove of garlic and then over low flame cook the sliced half-moon courgettes with a glass of water and a little salt, covering with a lid.

After about 15 minutes the courgettes will soften. Let them cook for another 2 or 3 minutes without the lid to evaporate the excess water.

Set aside on a plate half the courgettes, add to those remaining in the pan the raw pasta, the chopped tomatoes, the basil, and the rest of the courgettes and a glass and a half of water. Salt and cook with a lid over a slow flame for about 10 minutes, stirring often because the pasta tends to "stick".

When the pasta is almost cooked (you have to taste it because it depends on personal taste: here in the south we eat it very “al dente”), remove the lid, sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and stir, continuing to cook, for about two more minutes.

This first course is excellent cold too, so it’s great to prepare before going to the beach and to enjoy when you get back home. You'll love it! 

English version by Maurizio de Santis 

Special thanks to David Strong

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