Zucchini Carbonara

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Zucchini Carbonara

Carbonara is a classic Roman pasta that traditionally contains guanciale (cured pork cheek), but I had a delicious vegetarian version with zucchini at Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point and couldn’t resist recreating it at home. You need female zucchini flowers for zucchini carbonara, they’re the ones with the baby zucchini attached. It’s important to use authentic Italian Pecorino Romano, and to toss the pasta with the egg mixture while both the pasta and the cooking water are still very hot, so the residual heat cooks the egg and melts the cheese to make the delicious creamy sauce. Tortiglioni is a short tube-shaped pasta, use rigatoni or penne if you prefer, any shape that will catch the sauce in its hollows. And serve a glass (or two) of Hughes & Hughes skin ferment pinot gris alongside. Try my recipe for authentic carbonara with guanciale and scroll down to the video below for all you need to know to cook pasta perfectly every time.

Serves 6 as a starter

Ingredients
  • 6 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 225g freshly grated Pecorino Romano (8oz)
  • Salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 8 female zucchini flowers
  • 500g tortiglioni (1lb 2oz)
  • 75g unsalted butter (2½oz)
  • 2 zucchini, coarsely grated 
Method
  1. Combine eggs and about three-quarters of the Pecorino in a bowl with a generous grind of pepper.
  2. Tear the flower petals into sections, discarding the base and pistil and slice the baby zucchini lengthways into quarters.
  3. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add pasta.
  4. Melt butter in a frying pan. Add sliced zucchini and cook over a medium-high heat for a minute or 2 until butter just starts to colour.
  5. Add grated zucchini, stir for a minute, then remove from heat and set aside.
  6. Drain cooked pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, and return pasta to the saucepan off the heat.
  7. Add egg mixture and 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and toss until well combined and creamy, adding a little more cooking water if it seems too dry.
  8. Add zucchini mixture and zucchini flowers and toss to combine.
  9. Serve sprinkled with remaining cheese.
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What Other Travellers Say

Diane (Cremorne Point, NSW, Aus.)
Diane (Cremorne Point, NSW, Aus.)
Relaxed, organised and well-paced – a wonderful bespoke small group tour, starting in Rome, then travelling down the Amalfi Coast to stay at a family estate where we were treated like old friends. This tour included some hidden gems too, notably on our way to Matera, a fascinating town built into the side of a mountain. We finished with Naples and Pompeii – with plenty of wine and more new tastes. Roberta is a specialist and very personable as she hosts and explains every detail of the food and wine experience.
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus.)
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus.)
I’ve been on three of Roberta’s food and wine tours so far and each one has been an amazing well-organised experience. From historic Rome and Pompeii to the spectacular Amalfi Coast, remarkable Venice and the charming villages of Switzerland, each tour offers something special. Then there’s the food in fabulous places where you can truly eat like a local. I highly recommend Roberta’s tours to anyone who wants to discover inspired travel through great food, wine and company. I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Michael (Cremorne, NSW, Aus.)
Michael (Cremorne, NSW, Aus.)
Starting in Rome then spending time on the Amalfi Coast and further south before heading back to Rome for the last couple of days made for a nice ‘round trip’. Roberta’s choice of eateries was excellent with some very enjoyable meals – and a nice mix of other activities, like vineyard visits, between meals. Everything was very well organised: transport, nice hotels in close proximity to most activities, and a relaxed pace with enough time to follow your nose if that took your fancy. A very worthwhile tour and I’m already looking forward to another!
Di (Manly, NSW, Aus.)
Di (Manly, NSW, Aus.)
I absolutely recommend Roberta’s Southern Italy tour! We’ve always been independent travellers so were a little apprehensive – by day 2 we knew we’d made a great decision! Roberta knows people and places far from the tourist trail so we visited wineries where we were always invited for lunch as well as wine-tasting, a family lemon grove high on the Amalfi Coast and a 3rd generation cheesemaker. We stayed in a stunning cave hotel in Matera and a gorgeous family hotel in Scala – and book-ended the tour with the vibrancy of Rome. So many highlights, such a brilliant experience. We will do another tour with Roberta.
Neville (St Ives, NSW, Aus.)
Neville (St Ives, NSW, Aus.)
We had an absolutely fantastic time in Southern Italy and Rome with Roberta. Incredible food and wine experiences combined with authentic cultural encounters, fascinating history and breathtaking scenery. From the charming streets of Trastevere and the stunning Amalfi Coast to Matera, Pompeii and the hidden gems of Basilicata, every day brought something memorable. Meeting local winemakers, farmers, chefs and families who welcomed us with genuine warmth made this trip exceptional. Roberta's passion for Italy, attention to detail, warmth, knowledge and care for every guest made the experience unforgettable. We will gladly travel with Roberta again.
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