Recipe | Caramelised courgette, fennel & garlic orecchiette

While on holiday, I inadvertently made the base of this pasta sauce to go with some prawns. As we were eating, I turned to Adam and said, ‘This sauce needs to be served with pasta.’ So, here she is, served with pasta and topped with grated halloumi (which, if you haven’t tried it before, is salty, moreish and exactly what’s needed – trust me). 

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Serves 4

Takes 30 minutes

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Ingredients

2–3 courgettes (zucchini), about 500g/1lb 2oz in total

2 fennel bulbs 

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

4–6 fat garlic cloves

1 lemon 

handful of mint

400–500g (14oz–1lb 2oz) orecchiette, depending on how hungry you are (or other small pasta shape that holds sauce nicely)

pinch of chilli flakes (optional) 

225–250g (8–9oz) block of halloumi 

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method

Halve the courgettes lengthways, then cut into roughly 5mm (¼ inch) thick slices. Slice the fennel lengthways into 5mm (¼ inch) thick slices. Scrape the courgettes and fennel into a large, deep frying pan, along with a big pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set the pan over a medium–high heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and started to caramelise. 

Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic and grate the lemon zest. Pick and finely chop the mint leaves. 

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions, or for 1 minute less if you like it super
al dente. 

While the pasta is cooking, return to the courgettes and fennel. Increase the heat to high and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for 5–8 minutes until caramelised. Add the garlic, along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more until nicely golden, then stir through the lemon zest and squeeze in the juice.Reduce the heat to low.

Drain the pasta, saving a mugful of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the frying pan and stir, adding enough of the pasta cooking water to loosen and create a luscious sauce. Season to taste with salt, lots of black pepper and some chilli flakes, if you like. 

Divide the pasta between serving bowls, then finely grate over the halloumi. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and scatter over the mint leaves to serve.

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Other recipes from I’ll Cook! — 

Brown butter roasted cauliflower

Gnocchi with charred tomato salsa & ricotta