Description
This pasta dish comes from the Amalfi coast, where it was developed to provide instant nourishment for the fishermen after a stormy time at sea. Today it is a summer favourite and every trattoria jealously guards its own personal variation.
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
1kg/2lb 4oz small courgettes, washed and cut into sticks
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
500g/1lb 2oz good-quality spaghetti
100g/4oz freshly grated parmesan
50g/2oz butter
12 basil leaves, roughly torn
This is a Grub Club recipe.
Method
1. Put a kettle full of water on to boil. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, season the courgettes with salt and pepper and fry gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Pour the boiling water into a large, deep pan and add two tablespoons of coarse salt. When the water is boiling briskly, add the spaghetti and partly cover the pan so that the water returns to the boil as quickly as possible. Stir the pasta with a large fork so that it swirls about in the water. Cook for 10-12 minutes, trying a strand of pasta every so often, and drain quickly while it is still al dente - firm to the bite.
3. Turn the spaghetti into a large, heated serving bowl and stir in the parmesan, butter and courgettes.
4. Stir in the roughly torn basil leaves and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
