Organic Pasta with Courgettes, Sheep Cheese and Gremolata

Courgette Pasta with Sheep Cheese and Gremolata Made with Organic Vegetables

Main Serves 2. 30 min

Organic pasta is a dish that yields instant comfort and pleasure. Magic happens with the combination of careful, slow cooking, the freshest organic vegetables, a hint of sweet lemony pith and garlic.


Given a low heat and an unhurried slow cooking approach, organic courgettes collapse into a delightful chunky mass, good for whizzing into soups or piling on toast. Here they’re combined with artisanal sheep’s cheese and a splash of water to create a simple, creamy sauce.

Parsley, Lemon and Garlic

Gremolata is a vibrant Italian garnish based on the flavours of the real Mediterranean diet with three easy ingredients; parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Preserved lemons add a twist here.

You only need the rind, as the flesh is bitter when preserved. The rind is sweeter and saltier than fresh lemons; add a little, taste, then add more if desired.

The Watson Organic Farmers at Riverford Organic

Organic Pasta Ingredients

  • 2 courgettes
  • oil for frying
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes – add to taste
  • salt and pepper
  • 15g parsley
  • 1 piece preserved lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 200g penne pasta (or your preferred pasta shape)
  • 100g Sussex Slipcote cheese or other soft, light sheep cheese
Organic Pasta – Lemons ripening in the sun. Picture by Man Mercodes, Unsplash.

Method

Prep time: 5 min Cooking time: 25 min

  • Step 1
  • Wash and thinly slice the courgettes into rounds, no larger than ½-cm thick.
  • Step 2
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the courgettes and cover with a lid. Cook for approx. 15-20 mins, until soft and lightly caramelised. Stir occasionally. If they look like catching at any point, add a dash of water and reduce the heat.
  • Step 3
  • When the courgettes have softened, add half the chilli flakes, taste, and add more if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Step 4
  • Meanwhile, put a saucepan of salted water on to boil. Wash, shake dry and finely chop the parsley leaves.
Organic Pasta – Garlic adds flavour and naturally antibiotic protection to this delicious, sunshine organic pasta dish. Picture by Nick Fewings
  • Step 5
  • Scrape away the pulpy flesh from the preserved lemon and discard it. Finely dice the rind. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove.
  • Step 6
  • Mix the parsley, garlic and lemon rind together. Chop until it all resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. This is your gremolata.

Sunshine Mediterranean Flavours

  • Step 7
  • Tip the pasta into the boiling water. Cook for 8-10 mins, until tender. Place a colander over a bowl and drain the pasta (you want to save the starchy pasta water).
  • Step 8
  • Crumble half the Sussex Slipcote cheese into the courgettes. Stir in the pasta. Warm over a low heat, adding 1-2 tbsp pasta water, enough to create a silky sauce.
  • Step 9
  • Divide between 2 bowls. Top with extra crumbled cheese if desired, and the gremolata. Now you have a bowl of comforting organic pasta with the sunny flavours of Spring.

Farm to Table Organic Vegetables

Riverford Organic offer a farm to table organic veg box scheme direct to your door. To find out more visit their website – Riverford Organic