Ingredients for 4 people:300 g penne rigate350 g fresh sheep’s milk ricotta600 g zucchini100 g fresh pecorino cheese250 ml full fat milk¼ untreated lemon30 g pine nuts (or flaked almonds)50 g Pesto al finocchietto (Wild Fennel and Sun-dried Tomato Pesto)135 g La Vialla Style Small Sun-dried Tomatoes2 sprigs of mint1 clove of garlic6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil salt
Wash the zucchini, pat them dry, cut off the ends and chop them into small pieces. In a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the clove of garlic “in camicia” (literally “with its shirt on”, simply crushed with the palm of your hand, without removing the skin). When the garlic has browned, remove it and add the pieces of zucchini; season with a little salt and sauté over a lively heat for 5-6 minutes, or until they are slightly golden brown but still “firm”. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, previously drained of their oil and cut into strips; cook for a few more minutes and set aside. Now, in a large bowl, beat the ricotta together with the milk using a whisk or a fork until smooth and creamy. Add the Pesto al Finocchietto, half of the grated pecorino, the zest of the lemon, freshly ground black pepper, and salt; stir well and set aside. Cook the penne in plenty of boiling salted water, strain them when “al dente” (setting aside a little of the cooking water) and put them in the bowl with the creamy ricotta mixture. Stir thoroughly and, if everything seems too dry, add a little of the pasta cooking water. Transfer half of the sauce-coated pasta into an oven dish greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and level the surface with a wooden spoon. Cover with a layer of the zucchini and sun-dried tomatoes prepared previously, then the other half of the pasta, followed by the rest of the zucchini. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino, scatter the pine nuts (or flaked almonds, according to taste) on top. and finish off with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 30 minutes (if you have a wood-fired oven, it needs to be very hot, with the dish placed well away from the embers), until a nice golden crust has formed on the surface. Take the dish out of the oven, leave to rest for about 10 minutes and then serve.