Tomato Tomatoe

orecchiette with sausage & zucchini

Orecchiette is one of my favourite pasta shapes. I love a classic orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe, but this orecchiette with sausage and zucchini has quickly become one of my favourite pasta dishes to make during the winter months. It’s simple yet so flavourful from the beautiful sausage and sweet zucchini. The lemon zest adds a pop of brightness which is much needed during the cold months of winter.

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orecchiette with sausage & zucchini

Ingredients

Directions

1. Slice the zucchini into coin shapes. Finely dice the shallot and garlic.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat. Add 4 tbsp olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the zucchini. Make sure that you don’t over crowd the pan, you will need to fry them in batched. Add one layer of zucchini. Fry the zucchini until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Continue this process until the zucchini are cooked.
3. Heat the Dutch oven to medium-low and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. This should take 10-12 minutes to cook. Cook the sausage until it becomes slightly golden.
4. Fill a large pot with water and add salt (the water should be salty like the sea). Bring this to a boil. Once at a boil, add the orecchiette and cook for two minutes less than what the package says.
5. Add the shallots and chili flakes and cook for a minute or so. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or until fragrant. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes. Add the cream and zucchini. Season with salt. Remove 1 cup of pasta water and add 1/2 cup to the sauce.
6. Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain it and add it to the sauce. Add more pasta water if needed. Cook this for two minutes. Turn off the heat and grate in lemon zest and add the parmesan cheese.