Il Cucinologo
EN

Pasta with Vegetables and Fior di Latte Cream

17/11/2023

Pasta with vegetables and fior di latte cream is a flavorful and colorful dish, perfect for those who love the combination of fresh vegetables and the creaminess of cheese. Here is the recipe to prepare this delicious dish.

Ingredients

  • 320 g short pasta (penne, farfalle, rigatoni, etc.)
  • 200 g fiordilatte (or mozzarella)
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 small eggplant
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 tablespoons cooking cream (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Fresh basil to taste
  • 1 garlic clove

Preparation

  1. Start by washing all the vegetables. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into cubes, the bell pepper into strips, and the cherry tomatoes in half. Finely slice the onion.

  2. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add a garlic clove. When golden, remove it and add the sliced onion, letting it soften.

  3. Add the zucchini and eggplant to the skillet with the onion and let cook for a few minutes. Then add the bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender but still al dente. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the instructions for al dente texture.

  5. Cut the fiordilatte into cubes and place it in a bowl. If you want a thinner cream, you can add a couple of tablespoons of cooking cream. Let the fiordilatte soften at room temperature or give it a quick microwave warm-up to help form a cream.

  6. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and reserve some of the cooking water.

  7. Add the pasta to the skillet with the vegetables and mix well. If needed, add a bit of the cooking water to keep everything moist.

  8. Remove from heat and combine with the fiordilatte cream, stirring well until you achieve a creamy and homogeneous consistency.

  9. Serve the pasta garnished with fresh basil leaves and, if desired, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil raw.

Trivia

Fiordilatte is a fresh cheese similar to mozzarella, but it is made exclusively with cow’s milk. Its sweetness and creaminess pair well with the freshness of the vegetables in this dish, creating a balance of flavors and textures. In Italy, people love to take advantage of seasonal vegetables to prepare this dish, so the recipe can be varied based on the vegetables available in each season of the year.