Pasta is evergreen, though, of course, several of preparations for the timeless starch are not. As the mercury starts to rise, the idea of a light pasta dish grows ever more appealing. This recipe capitalizes on some of the season's finest bounty, cooking the vegetable into an aromatic oil before mixing with the orecchiette and finishing it all with some diced fresh tuna. The recipe does call for 30 minutes of resting time, which might not make this light pasta dish ideal for a weeknight, but it's especially perfect for weekend lunch.
Orecchiette and Vegetables in Aromatic Oil
Photo: Riccardo Lettieri, Styling: Beatrice Praa
Recipe: Joëlle Néderlants
Skill Level: Easy
Time 30 minutes + 30 minutes resting
Ingredients for 6
1 lb./500 g. fresh orecchiette
1⅓ lb./600 g. baby zucchini
10 oz./300 g. fresh tuna, diced
7 oz./200 g cherry tomatoes
3⅓ Tbsp./50 g pine nuts
10 basil leaves
3-4 sprigs of marjoram
2 Tbsp. salted capers
1 clove of garlic, crushed
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Desalt the capers.
Combine the crushed garlic, marjoram, and pine nuts, and heat with ¾ cup/150 g. of extra-virgin olive oil in a sauté pan.
Clean the cherry tomatoes and then cut them all into 4 wedges each. Next, cut the zucchini into rings and then combine the tomatoes and zucchini into a large bowl with the basil and the desalted capers.
Pour the hot oil over the vegetables, season with salt and pepper to taste, and then let rest for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the tuna into cubes and sauté them quickly in a hot pan greased with a drizzle of oil for 2 minutes.
Let the tuna cool down.
Boil the orecchiette, drain and pour them into the bowl with the vegetables.
Mix so that the pasta is seasoned and complete with the diced tuna.