Bring a deep pan of water to the boil, salt it generously, then add 150g of orzo and boil for 9 minutes or until the pasta is approaching tenderness. It should retain a certain bite. Drain the pasta and set it aside, running the tines of a fork through it to separate the grains.
Cut 200g of guanciale into thick strips. Place a shallow pan over a moderate heat, add the guanciale and let it cook, stirring from time to time, until the fat has run and the guanciale is golden. Remove it from the pan and set it aside, leaving the fat in place in the pan.
Slice 250g of courgettes in half lengthways, then again into quarters. Cut each quarter into thick chunks. Return the pan to the heat, add the courgettes and cook them until they are soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden.
Thinly slice 3 spring onions, discarding the thick, dark-green tips as you go, and add them to the courgettes. Return the guanciale to the pan, add the pasta.
While this is continuing to heat through, roughly chop a good handful of parsley and stir it in. Serves 2
Instead of the guanciale, use a fatty bacon or pancetta. The courgettes are cooked in the fat from the meat, so go for something with a generous marbling of fat. If necessary, you could add a little olive oil.
Keep the heat at no more than a moderate level, so that the fat melts out of the bacon. If your heat is too high, it will burn.
If you would like to add some grated parmesan or grana padano, do it after adding the parsley, stirring for a minute or so, allowing the cheese to melt slightly, bringing the whole dish together.
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