Tagliatelle With Courgettes Mint And Ricotta Recipes

COURGETTE & RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the shallot and courgettes for 8 mins until softened. When they are just beginning to colour, add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the water. Tip the pasta into the courgette pan with the basil, lemon zest, Parmesan and pine nuts. Season, dot over the ricotta and mix gently so that you don't break it up too much. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan, if you like.

LEMONY COURGETTE LINGUINE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of cooking water.
• Meanwhile, slice the courgettes lengthways, then again into long matchsticks with good knife skills or using the julienne cutter on a mandolin (use the guard!).
• Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the courgettes.
• Cook for 4 minutes, tossing regularly, while you finely slice the mint leaves, then stir them into the pan.
• Toss the drained pasta into the courgette pan with a splash of reserved cooking water.
• Finely grate in most of the Parmesan and a little lemon zest, squeeze in all the juice, toss well, then taste and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.
• Dish up, finely grate over the remaining Parmesan and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil before tucking in.

COURGETTES WITH MINT & RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy non-stick frying pan or cast-iron skillet over a medium heat. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil and 1 tsp butter together and add half the courgettes in one layer. Cook for 2 mins, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 5 more mins untouched, until the underside has a nice colour. Flip the courgettes, then grate over some lemon zest, pour over half the lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Cook for a further 5 mins or until very tender. Repeat the process with the remaining slices of courgette.
• Transfer to a platter and top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil and scatter over the mint to serve.

TAGLIATELLE WITH COURGETTES, MINT AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil and garlic in a large frying pan over a low heat. Add the courgettes, season and cook gently for 10 minutes, until the courgettes are soft and starting to break down. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to pack instructions.
• Just before draining the pasta, turn the heat under the courgettes up to high and add a ladleful of the pasta water to the courgettes, followed by the drained pasta. Quickly add the lemon zest and juice, mint and parmigiano reggiano; toss together until well combined. Divide between 4 bowls or plates, adding dollops of the ricotta. Serve immediately with extra grated parmigiano reggiano and chilli flakes, if liked.

COURGETTI WITH CHILLI, LEMON, RICOTTA & MINT

Steps:

• Toss the courgetti in a bowl with the chilli, lemon juice, 3⁄4 of the mint, some flaky sea salt and black pepper. Put onto a plate and garnish with the lemon zest, reserved mint and small dollops of the ricotta.

CREAMY COURGETTE & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sizzle the pancetta or bacon for about 5 mins until starting to crisp. Turn up the heat and add the grated courgette to the pan. Cook for 5 mins or until soft and starting to brown then add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Season and set aside.
• Cook the tagliatelle according to the pack instructions and scoop out a cupful of cooking water. Drain the tagliatelle and tip into the frying pan with the bacon and courgette. Over a low heat toss everything together with the crème fraiche and half the Parmesan adding a splash of pasta water too if you need to loosen the sauce. Season to taste and serve twirled into bowls with the remaining Parmesan scattered over.

COURGETTE, MINT, RICOTTA & CHILLI SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan to medium. Put the courgette slices in a bowl and toss with 1½ tbsp of the oil. Griddle for 3-4 mins on each side - you'll need to do this in batches - then transfer to a clean bowl. (See below left for griddling tips.)
• Mix together the remaining oil, the vinegar, most of the chilli and mint, and some seasoning, then pour over the courgettes and leave to marinate.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan until foaming, then add the pine nuts. Cook over a low heat until nicely browned, then drain on kitchen paper.
• To assemble the salad, toss the rocket and most of the pine nuts with the courgettes. Divide among plates or pile onto a serving dish. Break the ricotta into chunks and dot over the salad, then scatter the remaining chilli, mint and pine nuts on top.

COURGETTE, LEMON & CHILLI TAGLIATELLE

Steps:

• Coarsely grate the courgettes, then place in a sieve over a bowl. Press to squeeze out all the liquid - this may take a few mins, but try to drain away as much as you can.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat a large, non-stick frying pan, then dry-fry the bacon, stirring often, until crisp. Add the chilli and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the courgettes and cook on a high heat for 2-3 mins.
• Mix together the egg yolks, cheese, cream and lemon zest. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Tip everything back into the pasta pan and toss together. Divide into bowls to serve, with extra Parmesan.