Baked Farfalle with Zucchini Blossoms,
My family loves it and I prepare it on spring Sundays.
Traditional recipe and also with the Bimby
A fantastic first course easy to make in little time.
We will use zucchini blossoms to make a creamy pesto and then a velvety béchamel sauce.
Then we will gratinate with smoked scamorza cheese that will give the dish that extra something.
For the pesto, I use raw zucchini blossoms and untoasted almonds, so they retain their vitamins and color, making the flavor more delicate.
Zucchini blossom pesto can be made with both zucchini and summer squash blossoms, so you’ll have it from spring to fall.
Thought for you:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Fall, Spring, Summer
- Energy 967.47 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 69.97 (g) of which sugars 6.68 (g)
- Proteins 33.47 (g)
- Fat 63.38 (g) of which saturated 15.72 (g)of which unsaturated 6.21 (g)
- Fibers 4.95 (g)
- Sodium 1,057.51 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 400 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Let’s go shopping
- 3 1/2 oz zucchini blossoms
- 3 1/2 oz blanched almonds
- 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 oz Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 20 leaves basil
- to taste salt
- 2 cups béchamel sauce
- 10 1/2 oz farfalle pasta
- 5 1/2 oz smoked provola cheese
- to taste pepper
Baked Farfalle with Zucchini Blossoms
Tools
What we need to make
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Dish towel
- 1 Blender or the Bimby
- 2 Pots
- 1 Baking dish
Steps
Baked Farfalle with Zucchini Blossoms
Preparing my zucchini blossom pesto is very simple and quick.
.
First, wash the zucchini blossoms thoroughly. Separate the stems, sepals, and pistils from the petals, and pat them dry with a clean cloth.
Fill the blender or food processor, or better yet with the Bimby, adding the ingredients: zucchini blossoms, almonds,
grated Parmesan cheese, Pecorino Romano, and basil, finally, the extra virgin olive oil
Turn on the blender and blend until you achieve a consistency that’s not too smooth but homogeneous.
If you are using the Bimby, 15 sec vel 10. At the end, taste for salt and adjust according to your preferences.
To make the béchamel sauce, follow my recipe by clicking here.
Cut the provola cheese into cubes, and in the meantime, cook the pasta.
When the pasta is 4 minutes away from being fully cooked, drain it and cool it with cold water.
Return the pasta to the pot, then mix the béchamel sauce with the zucchini blossom pesto.
Pour half of the obtained cream into the pot with the pasta and add half of the smoked provola cheese cubes and mix.
Pour the dressed pasta into a baking dish, cover with the remaining zucchini and béchamel cream and cover with the remaining provola cheese cubes.
Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C) grill mode and place the baking dish at mid-height.
Cook on grill until the provola cheese has melted or has formed a crust.
Serve immediately at the table.
Serve immediately Baked Farfalle with Zucchini Blossoms, and serve.
Baked Farfalle with Zucchini Blossoms can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator
and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips: set aside a little pasta cooking water that you might need for the sauce.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Baked Farfalle with Zucchini Blossoms
Can I skip the gratin step?
Yes, certainly, in that case, mix everything in a non-stick pan.
