Quadrucci With Squash Blossoms & Zucchini
20 min. prep time
20 min. cook time
A fabulous and unique pasta dish sure to impress your next dinner party guests. This dish uses a fresh cut square pasta, squash blossoms & zucchini and a dash of saffron cream to create a flavorful and vibrant dish worthy of a lavish dinner on the patio.
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh quadrucci pasta (or sheets cut into 2” squares)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot (minced)
12 squash blossoms, stems & inner core removed. cut into long strips
6 oz. fresh cream
8-10 saffron threads, dissolved into 1/2 oz. boiling water
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups zucchini, small dice (the smaller the zucchini the better)
Grated parmigiano reggiano
Salt & Pepper
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Directions:
Begin boiling your pasta water. 4 quarts of boiling water per pound of pasta. Add 2 Tbsp. salt to water.
Take a small amount of pasta water and add to a glass bowl alongside 8-10 saffron threads. Set aside.
Mine 1 shallot
Dice 2 cups of zucchini (the smaller the dice the better)
Prepare your squash blossoms.
In a skillet large enough for the whole dish, fry the zucchini in olive oil until brown. Add salt & pepper. Remove from pan & set aside.
In the same pan, gently cook shallots in butter with about 2 oz. of water to prevent browning.
When shallot water has evaporated, fry the squash blossom with the shallots.
Add dissolved saffron water to the cream and stir. Add the saffron cream to the squash blossom pan, hear & set aside.
Cook the quadrucci in boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes or until al dente.
Drain, reserving some of the pasta cooking liquid
Toss quadrucci with zucchini, the saffron cream, some pasta water, a dash of olive oil and a couple tablespoons of parmigiano reggiano. Toss well to blend the sauce.
Add fresh chiffonade of basil.
Pour into serving bowl, bring blossoms to the top for color and garnish with a small sprig of basil.
Serve grated parm on the side!
Buon Appetitio!