Orecchiette with Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables & Ricotta Salata

Orecchiette, literally ‘little ears’ in Italian, are a perfect example of how amazing pasta can be. Using only flour and water, the little shell shapes have a firm bite, but a soft interior. Orecchiette are known and loved in their rugged home region of Puglia for their ability to scoop up smaller elements of sauce. In this rustic vegetarian dish, we serve the ‘little ears’ with a Mediterranean trinity of bell peppers, red onion and courgette, known respectively as “peperoni” “cipolla rossa” and “zucchine” in the native tongue. 

As to not overpower these gently roasted vegetables, we anoint this dish with a fragrant oil, infused with fresh basil. A final scattering of ricotta salata from Sicily rounds out this piquant dish, a celebration of Mediterranean produce in all its glory.