Photographs by Scott Martin
Ziti al Pastora, or Sheperd’s Pasta, is a rustic yet utterly delicious pasta dish with an interesting back story. This satisfying pasta dish of al dente ziti noodles, tossed with hearty Italian sausage and creamy ricotta cheese, gets its name for the hard working sheperd’s that originally created the dish. It makes sense that a pasta dish named after sheperds living and working in the rural parts of Italy would have ground meat and fresh cheese available to them, right? Well there you go. I quickly learned that in Italy, you cook with what you have available to you, and the simple yet satisfying dishes that result from this way of life are, to me, the most memorable.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Ziti al Pastora
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ziti pasta
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Ricotta cheese
- Drizzle of quality olive oil, for serving
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add in the ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is browned through. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and add in the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and oregano. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked pasta with the sausage mixture and the reserved pasta water. Toss well. Divide among your serving bowls, top with a generous dollop of ricotta cheese and a drizzle of quality olive oil.
Tagged: garlic, Italian, Italian sausage, Italy, oregano, pasta, ricotta cheese, Sheperd's Pasta, white wine
Leave a Reply