Pasta with saffron cream, zucchini, and guanciale is a delicious and quick-to-prepare first course. The delicate cream with stracchino, combined with saffron, contrasts with the bold flavor of guanciale and the sweet taste of zucchini, a true delight for the palate.
For this recipe, I used the calamarata pasta shape, but it also pairs well with penne or fusilli.
The zucchini are flavored in the guanciale oil and then air-fried to make them crispy, while the cream is thinned with the pasta cooking water along with the saffron.
Let’s see the steps to prepare pasta with saffron cream, zucchini, and guanciale.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini
- 1 robiola (3.5 oz)
- 1 packet saffron
- 5 oz guanciale
- 8.8 oz calamarata
- to taste salt and pepper
Tools
- Air Fryers
- 1 Pan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
Steps
Cut the guanciale into strips and render it in a hot pan
Once ready, set it aside, leaving its oil in the pan
Pour the zucchini into the guanciale oil and let them absorb the flavor, stirring for a few minutes
Transfer the zucchini to the air fryer without adding oil and cook at 392°F for 8 minutes, salting them at the end. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta. When the pasta is almost cooked, in a bowl, dilute the robiola with the saffron dissolved in a ladle of cooking water. I recommend keeping aside a cup in case the cream is too dry
Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it to the pan where you cooked the guanciale and mix it with robiola, add the guanciale and zucchini, and mix everything together
The saffron cream pasta is ready. If you like, you can add a sprinkle of pepper and some Grana Padano or Parmesan
