As summer progresses, courgettes – for those who grow their own at least – can become more of a curse than a blessing. All but the most enthusiastic pickle-makers desperately try to palm off their surplus crop on friends and neighbours. If you find yourself on the receiving end of such a well-intentioned gift – or if you just want another idea for a vegetable that is bountiful and cheap in the shops at this time of year – you might like to try the following. It has been known to convert even those who claim to be courgette haters.
Serves 4
3 tbsp olive oil
4 medium courgettes, cut into thin half-moons or shaved into long ribbons, as you see fit
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
A generous pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
450g fresh egg tagliatelle (or 350g dried)
Finely grated zest of 1 ½ lemons and the juice of 1
2 generous glugs of double cream
2 big handfuls of basil, plus extra leaves to scatter
2 big handfuls of grated parmesan, plus extra to sprinkle
Method
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for the pasta. Salt it generously.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the courgette and garlic, plus a pinch of cayenne and a generous scattering of salt. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the courgettes are soft, but not browned.
When they are nearly done, put the pasta on to cook until al dente. Follow the instructions on the packet: fresh will cook faster than dried.
When the courgettes are soft, add the lemon juice, remove from the heat and stir in the zest, cream, torn basil and parmesan (plus a couple of tbsp of cooking water from the pasta to thin it down).
Season generously with pepper and more salt if needed, then drain the pasta and combine with the sauce. Toss together, and pile into wide pasta bowls. Serve with a few more basil leaves and extra parmesan over the top.
Lucas Hollweg is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author and cook. A former Sunday Times journalist and cookery columnist, he writes for a wide range of food publications. His most recent book is Good Things to Eat.
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