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Courgette Pasta

Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Courgette, Pasta
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 2 slices bacon diced
  • 0.25 tsp chilli flakes
  • 8 courgettes small, about 200g. 4 thinly sliced, 4 grated
  • 200 g spaghetti
  • 50 g pecorino grated

Instructions

  • Over a moderate flame, warm a generous pour of olive oil (it should just cover the base of the pan) in a large, high-sided frying pan, then add the garlic, diced pancetta and chilli, if using. Let the garlic release its flavour and the bacon colour a little, then adding the sliced and grated courgettes and a pinch of salt.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt and stir, in preparation for the pasta. Gently fry the courgettes, taking care not to let them burn – they will take on a brighter colour and nice glossy sheen. At this point add a couple of ladlefuls of water from the cooking pot, to keep the courgettes moist, and let them continue softening and collapsing.
  • Cook the pasta for three to four minutes. Continue to cook the sauce and, as the pasta is cooking, skim off the cooking water and add it to the courgette sauce – the gluten from the cooking water will help to thicken the sauce a little, which should by now be a good, creamy consistency. Don’t let the sauce dry out, so keep it liquid by adding water from the pasta pot.
  • Drain the cooked pasta, throw it into the pan with the courgette sauce and toss with half the grated pecorino. Salt and pepper to taste before serving, then finish with more grated pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.