Pasta
INGREDIENTS:
3 courgettes, sliced
350g penne pasta
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, zested
bunch of basil and mint
150g ricotta cheese
PREPARATION:
- Griddle courgettes until golden, with griddle marks.
- Cook the pasta according to the packet's instructions.
- Mix courgettes and pasta together with olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest and roughly torn basil and mint.
- Dot with ricotta cheese.
A simple, yet classic, Spaghetti Carbonarra.
INGREDIENTS
400g/14oz dried spaghetti
175g/6¼oz piece smoked pancetta, rind removed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
handful flatleaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
50g/1¾oz pecorino sardo maturo (mature Sardinian pecorino), finely grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
-
Bring 4.5 litres/8 pints water to the boil in a large saucepan with eight teaspoons salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for nine minutes, or until al dente.
-
Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (short little strips), about 6mm/1¼in wide.
-
Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and the pancetta and fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
-
Drain the spaghetti well, tip into the frying pan with the pancetta, garlic and parsley, add the beaten eggs and half the grated pecorino cheese and toss together well.
-
Season to taste with a little salt and black pepper. The heat from the spaghetti will be sufficient to partly cook the egg, but still leave it moist and creamy. Take to the table and serve in warmed pasta bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.