Yotam Ottolenghi’s Pasta and Zucchini Salad

- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt and black pepper
- ⅔cup sunflower oil, or other neutral oil
- 3medium zucchini, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1½tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¾cup frozen shelled edamame
- 2cups basil leaves, shredded coarsely
- ¼cup parsley leaves
- ⅓cup olive oil
- 8ounces strozzapreti or penne pasta
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1½tablespoons capers
- 7ounces buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a medium saucepan, heat sunflower oil over medium-high heat. Fry zucchini slices in batches (do not crowd them) for 3 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a colander to drain. Tip zucchini slices into a bowl, pour vinegar on top and stir, then set aside.
- Step 2
In the hot water, blanch edamame for 3 minutes; drain, refresh under running cold water and set aside to dry. Keep boiling water in pot.
- Step 3
In a food processor, combine half the basil, all of the parsley and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.
- Step 4
In boiling water, cook pasta until al dente; drain and rinse under cold water. Return pasta to pot. Pour zucchini slices and their juices over pasta. Add edamame, basil sauce, lemon zest, capers and mozzarella. Stir together gently, then taste and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Before serving, stir in remaining basil.
Private Notes
Comments
Used mini bocconcini instead of buffalo mozzarella. Though some may consider that heresy, I found it worked pretty well. … Not sure I would agree with the classification of this recipe as "EASY"—what with the frying in batches, the blanching, the Cuisinarting, etc. Not difficult, but too fussy for "EASY."
I used a canola oil spray in a heavy bottomed saute pan and just browned the zucchini in there with a good sprinkle of kosher salt - no oily mess and a whole lot less calories to boot. I also used Greek halloumi cheese instead of the buffalo milk mozzarella and a lot of basil chiffonade tossed with everything. Delish! Oh! And I also used penne pasta.
I tossed the zucchini in some olive oil and broiled it. Turned out perfectly!
Omitted the edamame since I didn't have any, and added Buratta, and it worked well.
Loved the torn mozzarella in this dish.
Good idea and base, but after reading the comments, I made the following changes to make it more flavorful: - roasted the zucchini in the oven at 400 until brown - used bocconcini because I couldn't find buffalo mozzarella - added 1 clove of garlic, a 1 inch piece of parmesan, and juice of the lemon to the pesto dressing - added red chili flakes when mixing I ended up adding even more lemon and salt when mixing. Turned out great!