Name: Zucchini-flower pasta freddo with buffalo mozzarella
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 300 gm dried rotelle (wheel-shaped pasta); 1½ tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; ¼ small Spanish onion, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds; 8 zucchini flowers, stamens removed, stems thinly sliced into rounds, flowers coarsely torn; 1 buffalo mozzarella (about 250gm), coarsely torn; ¼ cup each torn mint, basil and flat-leaf parsley, plus extra leaves to serve; To serve: finely grated parmesan

Zucchini-flower pasta freddo with buffalo mozzarella

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for zucchini-flower pasta freddo with buffalo mozzarella.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

20M

Cook

10M

Total

30M

Pasta salad is polarising, even here at GT, but this super-light version makes the most of summer zucchini and zucchini flowers, with the lactic goodness of buffalo mozzarella thrown in for good measure.

Ingredients

300 gm dried rotelle (wheel-shaped pasta)

1½ tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

¼ small Spanish onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil

2 zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds

8 zucchini flowers, stamens removed, stems thinly sliced into rounds, flowers coarsely torn

1 buffalo mozzarella (about 250gm), coarsely torn

¼ cup each torn mint, basil and flat-leaf parsley, plus extra leaves to serve

To serve: finely grated parmesan

Method

Main

1.Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (6-8 minutes), drain and rinse under cold running water (to prevent pasta sticking together), then transfer to a large bowl.

2.Combine lemon juice, vinegar, onion and garlic in a small bowl and stand until onion softens (2-3 minutes). Add oil, then toss pasta to coat and season to taste. Add zucchini, zucchini flowers, mozzarella and herbs, toss to combine and serve scattered with extra herbs and grated parmesan.