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Penne of Zucchini-Mint-Blue Cheese Cream with Pancetta

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Food Recipes, Pasta, Pleasures
Servings: 5 People

Ingredients

  • 500g Penne
  • 3 large Zucchinis , cut halfway, core spooned out to decrease the moisture and sliced in a food processor
  • 200g Danish Blue Cheese
  • 10 slices Pancetta , about 150g cut width-wise in 5mm strips
  • 125g Parmigiano Reggiano , grated
  • 80ml Fresh Cream
  • 2 cloves Garlic , minced in a garlic presser tool
  • cup fresh Mint , home grown, and leaves picked
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg , freshly ground
  • 5 litres Water
  • 4 tbsp EVOO , Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Place a large, deep sauté pan over high heat along with the olive oil. When it heats up add the cut zucchinis along with half of the mint. Season with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and keep sautéing until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15’.
  • Put the cooked zucchini in a food processor with the metal blade attached and add the blue cheese, the remaining mint leaves, the fresh cream, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, nutmeg and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Pulse and process until smooth and keep aside.
  • In a large pot bring water to a boil on high heat, adding a generous amount of salt. Add the pasta, stirring occasionally so as not to stick and cook 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water.
  • In the meantime, put the same sauté pan that the zucchini was sautéed over medium heat and toss in the pancetta sautéing until it gets medium brown. Reduce the heat to low and with a slotted spoon remove the pancetta from the pan to a plate.
  • Return to the sauté pan the zucchini/mint cream on low fire and add 2-3 tbsp from the pasta water and stir to combine for 2’.
  • Strain the pasta and return to the pan. Toss the pasta along with half of the pancetta for a minute so as the sauce goes to every single piece of the pasta. Serve and top with the remaining pancetta.