The paccheri with zucchini cream, flowers, and shrimp or prawns is a very appetizing seafood main course that I garnished with fried parsley, and I loved the idea!
I used both the zucchini and a nice bunch of zucchini flowers that I just wilted in a pan and then partially blended with the vegetables. I added a little tomato paste, which you can omit for a white main course.
The idea of fried parsley was shamelessly copied from Instagram from Chef MATTIA BORRONI (on IG @mattia_borroni) whom I follow at his events, and he is very creative and competent!
The idea of fried parsley added at the last second just before serving the dish can be the garnish for many dishes because it gives a pleasant and not too intrusive touch, intriguing to see and taste! Fry the parsley leaves very quickly after washing and patting them dry with paper towels; remove them from the pan after a few seconds of cooking in boiling oil with a slotted spoon to keep the leaves intact and place them on special paper until ready to use.
The PASTA FORMAT CALLED PACCHERO is widely used in cooking, and on the blog, we find many recipes with various toppings. I suggest these preparations:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz paccheri
- 15 zucchini flowers
- 9 oz shrimp (or prawns)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 shallot (chopped)
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 zucchini (medium size)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
#ADV
- Colanders COLANDER
- Knives
- Cutting Boards
- High-Sided Casseroles
- Frying Pans
- Saucepans
Steps
1) In a pan, add the extra virgin olive oil and when hot, add the chopped shallot and leave for a few minutes on low heat, stirring well.
2) Then add the washed, dried zucchini, sliced thinly with a knife or mandolin (watch your fingertips).
3) After a few minutes, they will be tender, and then add the zucchini flowers without the inner pistil and well cleaned.
4) Mix these ingredients and season with salt, leaving the zucchini cooked but not mushy.
5) Take some of these vegetables and blend them into a cream with an immersion blender, then leave this vegetable cream aside in a container and proceed to complete the first course recipe with paccheri, zucchini flowers, and shrimp.
6) In the same pan, cook the shrimp in a drizzle of EVO oil, and when they change color, turn off the heat.
7) If trying to garnish the dish with parsley like I did, place some peanut oil in a saucepan, and when it’s at temperature (insert a skewer into the oil against the bottom of the pan and if small bubbles form, it’s ready), fry the leaves for a few seconds, then gently place them on absorbent paper to drain the excess oil.
7) In a washed and dried pan, place the zucchini flower cream, whole zucchini slices and unblended flowers, lightly cooked shrimp, and mix everything well by adding a tablespoon of tomato paste and seasoning with salt and pepper. Leave on very low heat for 2/3 minutes, adding water if the preparation becomes too dry, and finish cooking the sauce for the seafood paccheri.
8) I have already boiled salted water in a saucepan, and when it reaches a boil, I add the paccheri and cook for the time indicated for al dente cooking.
9) Before draining the pasta, save a ladle of starchy water in a container and proceed to drain the pasta.
10) Place the moist paccheri in the pan with the sauce, mix well, then plate individually, decorating with sprigs of fried parsley!
It’s a first course that I really liked, and even my son Andrea finished his plate enjoying it… WITHOUT BUGGING ME!
Enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
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Annalisa says…
1) Thinking back to the zucchini flower, zucchini, and shrimp/prawns topping, a little grated lemon zest wouldn’t be bad… another variation of this sauce with a pinch of chili pepper wouldn’t be bad either!
2) Of course, instead of fried parsley, we can add fried basil or a nice fine chop of these aromatic herbs, simply fresh.
2) Of course, instead of fried parsley, we can add fried basil or a nice fine chop of these aromatic herbs, simply fresh.
