Tagliatelle with Pesto and Courgettes Recipe

This delicious, filling, Genovese-style pasta recipe is ready in less than 15 minutes, so is perfect for hungry students, busy mums and anyone who struggles to create something quick and healthy in the kitchen. Pro chefs and amateurs alike can meet and undertake this super simple tagliatelle dish; it is true that less can definitely be more.

Pesto pasta is often an easy 'go-to', but you can continue the green theme with this courgette recipe and go the extra mile by spiralising some courgette and mixing it in. If you didn't understand the spiralising hype, and didn't bother to invest, peeling with a julienne peeler also works just as well. Go green and get one of your 5 a day in this yummy, nutritious and healthy dish. Another health bonus is that, with the courgette as an extra ingredient, you won't be tempted to lavish lots of calorific cheese over the top. Naturally, still add the Parmesan, but the courgette will hopefully deter you from adding mounds of cheddar underneath the specified allowance of Parmesan!

Enjoy hot for an evening meal, or eat up cold leftovers the next day (though you might like to warm them up with a quick blast in the microwave). The tagliatelle provides much needed carbohydrates at any time of the day; whether serving as your main meal in the evening, or giving you a midday energy boost at lunchtime. Serve with a light white wine for a dreamy food-drink combination, and enjoy!

HOW TO MAKE TAGLIATELLE WITH PESTO AND COURGETTES:

1. Heat a large saucepan of lightly salted water over a high heat until boiling. Add the pasta and cook for 6-8 minutes or until al dente.

2. Once cooked, drain, reserving a ladle of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the courgettes, pesto, lemon zest and a little of the water. Season to taste. Top with the cheese and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 200g tagliatelle
• 2 courgettes, spiralised or peeled with a julienne peeler
• 150g fresh pesto zest of 1 lemon
• 50g Parmesan, grated