Bucatini with roasted red pepper sauce and zucchini

Photo: Giselle Cagli

Ingredients

big sweet red peppers

2 tablespoons of grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese.

350 grams (12 ounces) of Bucatini pasta

2 sprigs of fresh oregano

2 sprigs of erba pepe (you can use thyme or marjoram instead)

3 medium size zucchini (thinly sliced)

5 tablespoons of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200° C (400 °F) for 15 minutes. Place red peppers and broil for about 30 minutes or until skins are blackened.

Transfer peppers to plastic wrap or bag. Close the bag or seal with plastic wrap, and let peppers steam and cool.

Unwrap peppers. Pull off and discard skins. This step can be done under running water.

Blend peppers, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

The pepper sauce will have a creamy consistency due to combining extra virgin olive oil with Parmigiano Reggiano, so there is no need to add heavy cream. Try the sauce before adding salt since Parmigiano Reggiano cheese has already salt, and then add salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and saute zucchini until slightly crumbled and golden. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly saute some zucchini slices for garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile bring a pot with water to a boil. When boiling, add coarse salt, and cook pasta following package instructions.

Drain pasta and transfer it to the skillet (over very low heat). Add red pepper sauce, zucchini, and herbs.

Blend all ingredients.

Before plating, arrange zucchini slices on a plate as if they were flower petals

Pasta nests procedure:To form a pasta nest, use a fork with long enough tines and hold it perpendicular over the skillet.

Twirl and grab as much pasta as you can. Carefully transfer pasta to a soup ladle and twirl to form a nest.While transferring pasta to the plate, continue twirling slowly to prevent pasta from falling down from the ladle.

Gently and slowly place the nest on a plate. Never stop twirling!!!

Finish by placing some zucchini (which are difficult to grab with the fork) left on the skillet. Add an oregano sprig on top of the nest.