Zucchini, Pine Nuts, and Ricotta The Elegant, No Fuss Summer Dish
Fresh zucchini prepared two ways in the same dish the outer flesh peeled into delicate thin ribbons and dressed raw with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, chili flakes, and fresh mint, while the diced inner core is sautéed with shallot, garlic, and thyme then blended smooth with whole milk ricotta and mint into a silky creamy herby base spooned onto a serving plate, topped with the vibrant dressed ribbons, and finished with toasted pine nuts and fresh mint leaves for a stunning, genuinely impressive dish that takes less than 25 minutes from start to table.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- For the Dish:
- 3 large zucchini firm and glossy without soft spots medium-sized zucchini have the best flavor and texture
- A pinch of red chili flakes adjusted to heat preference
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves picked from stems
- 4.4 oz whole milk ricotta approximately 125 grams — Calabro, BelGioioso, or Sargento whole milk ricotta — full-fat only for silkiest blended base
- A large handful of fresh mint leaves washed and thinly sliced plus a few extra whole leaves for garnish
- 1 fresh lemon for both juice and zest
- Extra virgin olive oil for cooking the zucchini core and dressing the ribbons
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts first place in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat stirring or shaking pan frequently remove immediately to a plate the moment they are evenly golden and fragrant they continue cooking from residual heat so pull slightly before fully done set aside.
- Using a vegetable peeler peel long thin ribbons from the outside of each zucchini running peeler down the full length to create wide flat ribbons peel from all four sides rather than in circles for longer more uniform ribbons.
- Continue peeling until most of the green outer flesh is used and ribbons are becoming more watery and pale set all ribbons aside in a bowl.
- Take the remaining inner core of each zucchini and dice into roughly ½ inch pieces.
- Heat a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add diced zucchini core pieces in a single even layer and cook without moving for 2–3 minutes to develop golden color on one side.
- Stir and continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes until zucchini is softened all the way through and gently golden on multiple sides.
- Reduce heat to low and add finely diced shallot, crushed garlic, and fresh thyme leaves to the pan with the cooked zucchini.
- Cook over low heat for 3–4 minutes stirring occasionally until shallot is completely softened and translucent and garlic is fragrant do not allow garlic to brown keep heat low and stir regularly.
- Transfer the warm zucchini shallot garlic and thyme mixture to a blender.
- Add whole milk ricotta and half the sliced fresh mint to the blender.
- Blend on high speed until completely smooth and uniform the base should be creamy pale green and silky with no visible vegetable pieces remaining.
- Season with fresh lemon juice salt and black pepper to taste blend briefly again after seasoning.
- Taste and adjust base should be creamy fresh and lightly herby with a bright lemon finish set aside.
- In the bowl with reserved zucchini ribbons add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, some lemon zest, red chili flakes, remaining sliced fresh mint, salt, and black pepper.
- Toss gently ribbons are delicate and should be turned carefully rather than aggressively to prevent tearing dress immediately before serving only.
- Spoon the ricotta and zucchini base generously across a wide flat serving plate spreading into an even layer covering most of the plate surface.
- Arrange dressed zucchini ribbons on top of the ricotta base piling loosely and slightly higher in the center for visual interest.
- Scatter toasted pine nuts over the dressed ribbons.
- Finish with a few extra whole mint leaves scattered across the surface.
- Add a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired and serve immediately.