Craikey, what to have for supper?

This is our first year planting out the garden and whilst it is packed with herbs, masses of rocket, quite a lot of chard, spinach and broad beans, we totally failed to plant the courgettes so no flowers to cook with this summer.  Sigh.

That doesn't mean that I am not going mad for courgettes though.  Originally from Mexico, this is one of my favourite vegetables, I think mainly because it is so versatile but also because of its beautifully subtle, gentle flavour.  It goes extremely well with garlic and olive oil and although there is nothing I like better than char-grilling it over a barbeque for a feta and chilli salad, or fast frying it as a delicious side dish, or even stuffing it with breadcrumbs, pine nuts and raisins, this easy pasta dish is a joy to make as is so exceptionally simple.  The basis can be doubled up and made into a gloriously thick soup with a little bit of stock added to it or as I have done here, just throw it over pasta and reap the benefits.  My husband declared it 'amazingly good'. 

Feeds 2 very hungry people (up the amounts if you are more)

4 courgettes

4 garlic cloves

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the best you can afford)

4 tsp pine nuts

1 dried chilli

a heap of basil, finely shredded

Juice of half a lemon

180g spaghetti

Pecorino to serve

First of all put the olive oil into a saucepan over a very low heat.  Add the garlic cloves, chopped, the dried chilli, crumbled and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.  Let the garlic warm gently whilst you slice up the courgettes.  It is important that the heat is low so that you don't burn the garlic and you keep the intense flavour of the olive oil.  Put some plates in a plate warmer, or microwave them just before you eat so that the pasta stays nice and hot when you come to eat.

Once you have sliced up the courgettes, add them all to the saucepan, turn the heat up a fraction, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes.  After about 5 minutes put a roomy pan of water onto boil and season with plenty of salt (you want the water to be almost as salty as the sea to give the pasta flavour).  Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta.

Meanwhile toast the pine nuts

Now all you have to do is remove the lid from the courgettes, squeeze over the lemon, turn up the heat and allow some of the liquid to bubble off.  Cook for 5 minutes like this, or until the courgette is completely soft.  Finely chop the basil and check the pasta.  Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, pour over the courgettes and drizzle over an extra tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil.  Throw over the nuts and basil and grate generous amounts of pecorino on top. 

Serve at once, with a crisp, cold glass of white wine, revelling how good simple, fast suppers are...