SLOW COOKED LIGURIAN TROFIE WITH PEAS, ZUCCHINI AND PUMPKIN FLOWERS
FOR THE PASTA:
7 oz Trofie
3.5 oz zucchini
4 pumpkin flowers
3.5 oz fresh peas
1.75 oz fresh datterino tomatoes
1.77 oz leek
2 garlic cloves
1.75 oz shallot
1 quart chicken stock
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE PEA PURÉE:
7 oz green peas
2 tsp parsley
0.7 oz shallot
3.5 oz chicken stock
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
3 ½ tbsp olive oil
FOR THE TALEGGIO MELT:
3.5 oz Taleggio cheese
3.5 fl oz milk
FOR THE HERB FLAVORED OIL:
2 tsp marjoram
2 tsp basil
2 tsp fresh oregano
1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
FOR DECORATING:
Fresh oregano flowers to taste
PASTA
Dice the zucchini and some set aside for decoration. Cook the remaining diced zucchini in a pan with salt and pepper.
Clean the peas, blanch in salted boiling water and set aside. Sauté the peas in a very hot pan.
Cut the datterino tomatoes in half and marinate for about 20 minutes in extra virgin olive oil and one crushed clove of garlic. Drain the liquid and cut the tomatoes in dices. Remove the garlic.
Cut the pumpkin flowers in big pieces and remove stem and pistil. Mince the leaks, shallot and a clove of garlic. Sauté in extra virgin olive oil on medium heat, making sure it does not turn brown. Add the Trofie pasta and cook with the risotto technique, adding boiling salted water a little at a time, while stirring.
Cook for about 20 minutes on low heat until al dente.
PEA PURÉE
Chop the shallot and sauté in olive oil. Add the green peas, parsley and chicken stock. Boil for some minutes. Transfer in a mixer to obtain a purée. Adjust salt and pepper and cover to keep the hot.
TALEGGIO MELT
Cut the Taleggio cheese in dices and melt on low heat until creamed. Cover to keep the hot.
HERB FLAVORED OIL
Mince finely the herbs and mix with the olive oil and the zest of half lemon.
DECORATING
As soon as the pasta is cooked, add the flavored oil, the diced zucchini, the peas puréed, saving some of it for decoration, the tomatoes and the flowers and aromatic herbs. Mix all ingredients until obtaining a shiny glaze on top of the pasta. Decorate the plate with the remaining pea purée, Taleggio melt and the pumpkin flowers.
