Stewed Courgette Orecchiette with Gruyère + Ricotta
Going back to a very seasonal series this evening because courgettes are still everywhere. I found these beautiful Zephyr courgettes — they make for a golden-looking plate of food but, truthfully, they don’t have as much flavour as their greener cousin. That’s where the Gruyère steps in to save the day, bringing everything together in a silky, rich sauce. This is the perfect comforting bowl after a busy weekend — I made it after cooking for 90 people! Use whichever courgettes you can get your hands on.
Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
For the pasta:
200g orecchiette pasta
2 courgettes (about 330g), cut into 1cm rounds
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon + zest of 1 lemon
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
3 tbsp water
40g Gruyère, grated
Salt + pepper to taste
For the ricotta topping:
2 tbsp ricotta cheese
Good squeeze of lemon juice
Method
Cook the courgettes – Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add 3 tbsp olive oil. Add the sliced garlic, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Let the garlic cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
Add the water, lemon juice, courgettes, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir well, cover with a lid, and simmer for 12 minutes until the courgettes are soft and glossy.
Cook the pasta – Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the orecchiette and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve a mug of starchy pasta water before draining.
Combine everything – Add the cooked pasta straight into the pan with the courgettes. Stir in the grated Gruyère, lemon zest, and chilli flakes (if using), along with around 100ml of the reserved pasta water. Stir vigorously for about 10 seconds until the sauce turns silky and coats the pasta evenly. Add a little more pasta water if needed.
Make the ricotta topping – In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with a squeeze of lemon juice and season lightly.
Serve – Divide the pasta between two plates, spoon over the lemony ricotta, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil if you’re feeling fancy.