Chef's Recipes

Zucchini and mortadella orecchiette with pecorino

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for zucchini and mortadella orecchiette with pecorino by Ben Greeno from Momofuku Seiobo in Sydney.

By Ben Greeno
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 8 mins cooking
  • Serves 4 - 6
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Zucchini and mortadella orecchiette with pecorino
"I love the combination of zucchini and mortadella," says Greeno. "If you have any leftover mortadella, smash it up with some pecorino and a little butter, spread it on sourdough bread and bake it in the oven."

Ingredients

  • 500 gm dried orecchiette
  • 300 gm mortadella
  • 2½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 100 gm pecorino, shaved
  • To serve: nasturtium leaves and flowers

Method

Main
  • 1
    Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (8-10 minutes).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, dice half the mortadella, thinly slice the other half and set them aside separately. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan, add diced mortadella and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (4-5 minutes), then add the zucchini and sauté until just tender (2-3 minutes). Season to taste.
  • 3
    Drain pasta, reserving 50ml pasta cooking water, and add pasta and water to zucchini mixture with remaining oil. Season to taste, toss to combine well, then divide among bowls and top with pecorino and mortadella slices, and scatter with nasturtium leaves and flowers.