Fresh herbs and zesty lemon combine to create this super easy spaghetti that'll turn into your next favourite quick meal.

Recipes Rosa Matto | Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Spaghetti with fried zucchini, lemon and mint
serves 5
preparation time 10 minutes | cooking time 15 minutes

700g zucchini, preferably white striped zucchini
extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
100g grated fresh pecorino cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 handful fresh basil leaves, washed and torn into pieces
1 handful fresh mint, washed and torn into pieces
salt for pasta and to taste
pepper to taste
500g bucatini, spaghetti or tagliatelle

Make sauce first. Wash and cut zucchini into thin slices. Fry in extra virgin olive oil until browned, using a very wide frypan, large enough to eventually take all the cooked spaghetti. Drain zucchini on paper towel. In remaining oil, gently fry garlic clove, taking care not to burn it. Take approximately 1/3 of fried zucchini and puree in a food blender, with cooked garlic and any remaining oil in the pan, until a creamy consistency. Add creamed zucchini to the zucchini slices in the pan (don’t worry if mixture is thick, it will loosen later with splashes of pasta cooking water).

Continue to stir over low heat for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, stir in grated pecorino until it starts to melt and become creamy. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Add torn basil and mint leaves. Season with sprinklings of pepper and salt as required.

Meanwhile, boil pasta in plenty of lightly salted water until al dente. Drain, keeping aside a cup of the cooking water to toss in frypan with zucchini if necessary.

To serve, decorate with basil and mint leaves and some extra grated pecorino to taste.

 

This article first appeared in the March 2023 issue of SALIFE magazine.