Quick courgette and lemon pasta recipe

Quick courgette and lemon pasta is one of those dishes that only takes as long as the pasta to cook - perfect when you're really hungry.

The bright, zingy flavour of the lemon is a perfect on sunny summer evenings when you want something light and lively. The creaminess of the ricotta is a beautiful contrast. Spiralized courgette is often used as a substitute for spaghetti, but we prefer it alongside, so you get both textures in one dish. This super-speedy dish makes a lovely light supper for two people, and it's a good budget option during courgette season in summer and autumn - it's one of our favourite cheap family meals.

Ingredients

• 150g (5oz) pappardelle pasta
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 courgette, grated
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese

Method

1. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for 10 mins.
2. While it is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan, stir in the grated courgette and garlic and cook for 3 mins.
3. Add the lemon zest and juice, and the ricotta cheese, stirring so the ricotta melts down into a sauce.
4. Drain the pasta, season well and stir in the courgette mixture.

Top tip for making this quick courgette and lemon pasta

Add a few fennel seeds for an extra pop of flavour. Before you add the oil to the pan, add a teaspoon of whole seeds and allow them to toast for a minute or so until the aroma of them hits you. Then add the oil and continue as above.