Fried Courgette Pasta

Fried courgette pasta is a gloriously simple weeknight dish that has become recently popularised by Stanley Tucci. Learn to master this easy recipe and it will become your favorite low cost summer dinner. Serve this with some crusty bread and afresh lemony salad and you're all set! 
 
 
INGREDIENTS
 

• Approx 200g pasta (for two people)
• 1 courgette sliced into thin rounds
• 1 cup vegetable or sunflower oil 
• Grated parmesan or pecorino
• A few basil leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 tbsp butter
• Toasted pine nuts (optional) 

 
METHOD 
 
In a heavy bottom frying pan, heat the vegetable oil on high/medium heat. Once it's hot, add the courgette slices and fry until golden and brown. You might need to do this in a few batches so as to not overcrowd the pan. Remove the courgette and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen roll to drain off any extra oil. Sprinkle the courgette with some salt. 
 
Begin to cook your pasta. When the pasta is about 2 minutes from being cooked, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in another frying pan and add the courgette. Add a few splashes of pasta water, the butter and basil and season generously with salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to gently break up the courgette. When the pasta is ready, drain and add direcly into the courgette sauce and toss well. Finish with pine nuts and sprinkle generously with your grated cheese and serve immediately.