Italian Mixed Grill with Courgettes and Fregola

First make the meatballs by mincing the pork shoulder using a fairly coarse mincer blade and put into a bowl. Chop the sage fairly finely to produce a couple of good handfuls and stir into the pork along with a teaspoonful of salt and the zest of a lemon. Separate the yolk from the egg and mix thoroughly with the pork mixture. Put the bowl in the fridge for an hour or so if possible.

Top and tail the courgettes and cut into thickish slices on the bias. Season them with salt and pepper, put into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over a little olive oil and cook in the oven at 350°F/180°C/Reg4 for about 25 minutes or until cooked but not mushy. When ready, chop fresh basil to yield a tablespoonful or so and sprinkle over the courgettes.

Cut the the pork fillet into slices around a centimetre thick, season with salt and pepper and quickly brown in a little olive oil and put in the oven with the courgettes to finish off. Separate the meatball mixture into meatballs lightly using your hands, cover each one in a little seasoned flour, and fry in a little olive oil over a medium heat until just brown. Then add them to the pork fillet slices in the oven.

Fry the sausages until brown in a little oil. Grill the slices of pancetta about 8 inches/20 cm from the flame, turning once. Meanwhile cook the fegola in salted boiling water for 12 minutes, drain, stir in a tablespoonful of olive oil and season with a little salt.

Compose the dish by putting some pasta in the middle of the serving plates, and laying on top the courgettes and meat and adding a slice of lemon, serve immediately  Zoom  .