Grilled zucchini, burrata, and fregola

I never liked zucchini till recently, but now I adore this light and nutritious vegetable, both raw and grilled. This salad is a wonderful combination of light flavours that come together so well.

Fregola is a small Sardinian pasta that looks like grains and has a wonderful texture and flavour. It is impossible to find in India, so I have substituted pearled couscous. You can also use orzo, the small rice grain-shaped pasta.

This is a light and subtle salad with a blend of wonderful flavours. The creamy and delicate burrata cheese—I love burrata—pairs well with the pearled couscous, which adds wonderful texture. The salty pecorino cheese (use parmesan cheese if you cannot find pecorino), charred zucchini, and wonderful basil add aroma and flavour. This salad is beautifully balanced, light, and delicate. I like to serve it as a salad for dinner or as a light meal for lunch.

This recipe is from Diana Henry, one of my favourite chefs. I have every one of her cookbooks; they are my go-to books for every occasion, from fun salads like this one to more elaborate cooking from around the world. Everyone should have all her cookbooks.

For more recipes from this book, click here.

Ingredients:

6 large zucchini

Olive oil spray

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

7 oz fregola or pearled couscous

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ball burrata cheese

1 1/2 oz pecorino cheese, sliced into thin slices

A handful of basil leaves, sliced

Juice of 1 lime or lemon

Olive oil for a drizzle

Sea salt, to taste

Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch slices along the diagonal. Layer on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray with olive oil and broil in the oven until nicely colored. Alternatively, you can fry them in a pan until well browned. Remove and cool.

Cook the fregola or pearled couscous according to the manufacturer's directions. Drain, toss with olive oil so it does not get sticky, and set aside.

To assemble the salad, place the burrata cheese in the centre of a wide bowl. Surround the pasta with the fregola or couscous, and layer or surround it with the grilled zucchini. Scatter the basil and salt on top and drizzle the olive oil and lime juice. Top with the pecorino cheese in thin slices. Pecorino cheese is quite salty, so keep the pasta a bit under-salted. Take to the table for a beautiful display.

To serve, cut up the burrata and mix in well. Serve at room temperature.