Organic Pasta with Courgettes, Sheep Cheese and Gremolata

Courgette Pasta with Sheep Cheese and Gremolata Made with Organic Vegetables

Main Serves 2. 30 min

Organic pasta is a dish that yields instant comfort and pleasure. Magic happens with the combination of careful, slow cooking, the freshest organic vegetables, a hint of sweet lemony pith and garlic.

Given a low heat and an unhurried slow cooking approach, organic courgettes collapse into a delightful chunky mass, good for whizzing into soups or piling on toast. Here they’re combined with artisanal sheep’s cheese and a splash of water to create a simple, creamy sauce.

Parsley, Lemon and Garlic

Gremolata is a vibrant Italian garnish based on the flavours of the real Mediterranean diet with three easy ingredients; parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Preserved lemons add a twist here.

You only need the rind, as the flesh is bitter when preserved. The rind is sweeter and saltier than fresh lemons; add a little, taste, then add more if desired.

The Watson Organic Farmers at Riverford Organic

Organic Pasta Ingredients

2 courgettes
oil for frying
1 teaspoon chilli flakes – add to taste
salt and pepper
15g parsley
1 piece preserved lemon
1 garlic clove
200g penne pasta (or your preferred pasta shape)
100g Sussex Slipcote cheese or other soft, light sheep cheese

Organic Pasta – Lemons ripening in the sun. Picture by Man Mercodes, Unsplash.

Method

Prep time: 5 min Cooking time: 25 min

Step 1
Wash and thinly slice the courgettes into rounds, no larger than ½-cm thick.
Step 2
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the courgettes and cover with a lid. Cook for approx. 15-20 mins, until soft and lightly caramelised. Stir occasionally. If they look like catching at any point, add a dash of water and reduce the heat.
Step 3
When the courgettes have softened, add half the chilli flakes, taste, and add more if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
Meanwhile, put a saucepan of salted water on to boil. Wash, shake dry and finely chop the parsley leaves.

Organic Pasta – Garlic adds flavour and naturally antibiotic protection to this delicious, sunshine organic pasta dish. Picture by Nick Fewings

Step 5
Scrape away the pulpy flesh from the preserved lemon and discard it. Finely dice the rind. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove.
Step 6
Mix the parsley, garlic and lemon rind together. Chop until it all resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. This is your gremolata.

Sunshine Mediterranean Flavours

Step 7
Tip the pasta into the boiling water. Cook for 8-10 mins, until tender. Place a colander over a bowl and drain the pasta (you want to save the starchy pasta water).
Step 8
Crumble half the Sussex Slipcote cheese into the courgettes. Stir in the pasta. Warm over a low heat, adding 1-2 tbsp pasta water, enough to create a silky sauce.
Step 9
Divide between 2 bowls. Top with extra crumbled cheese if desired, and the gremolata. Now you have a bowl of comforting organic pasta with the sunny flavours of Spring.

Farm to Table Organic Vegetables

Riverford Organic offer a farm to table organic veg box scheme direct to your door. To find out more visit their website – Riverford Organic