This simple and delicious pasta dish from the Province of Trapani in Western Sicily will have you dreaming of Italian summers
IMAGE: DAVID MUNNS
This Trapanese-style pasta dish is colourful and tasty, and is best served in the early summer when courgette/zucchini flowers are plentiful. This dish will produce gasps of approval from family and friends.
Tagliatelle with Courgette Flowers and Chicken
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 skinless chicken breasts preferably organic (350 g/121⁄2 oz. in total)
- 50 g /3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 200 g /2 cups small courgettes/zucchini thickness of a finger, cut into thin julienne strips
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh marjoram
- 350 g /121⁄2 oz. dried tagliatelle
- 1 large handful of courgette/zucchini flowers thoroughly washed and stamens removed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- thinly shaved Parmesan cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the grill/broiler to medium. Season the chicken and grill/broil for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Cut into evenly sized pieces and put to one side.
- Heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and cook gently, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the courgettes/zucchini to the pan and sprinkle over the garlic, marjoram and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook for 8 minutes until the courgettes/zucchini have coloured.
- Set aside a few whole courgette/zucchini flowers to garnish, then roughly shred the rest and add them to the pan. Stir to mix, taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in rolling boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and tip it into the chicken mixture with the remaining oil. Serve with Parmesan cheese shavings and the reserved courgette/zucchini flowers.
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