Serves 2–4
A deceptively simple Italian pasta where deeply golden fried courgettes, sharp pecorino and a hint of chilli come together in a silky, flavour-packed dish. Less is more at its very best.
Ingredients
- 400g fresh wide tagliatelle
- 3 large courgettes, sliced into rounds (5mm thick circa)
- 80g Pecorino Romano, freshly grated, plus extra to serve
- extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying
- 1/2 a lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 0.5 tsp chilli flakes
- fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
- Fry the courgettes: Heat a generous pour of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry courgette rounds in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and slightly caramelised at the edges. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt while still hot.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook tagliatelle according to packet instructions until al dente, fresh pasta will only take 2–3 minutes. Reserve 100ml pasta cooking water before draining.
- Combine: Return the frying pan to medium heat with olive oil. Add chilli flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add the drained tagliatelle and toss well. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen and create a light silky sauce.
- Add the courgettes: Gently fold in the fried courgettes, taking care not to break them up. Squeeze over lemon juice and toss everything together carefully.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the heat and stir through most of the Pecorino. Season generously with black pepper. Divide into bowls, scatter over parsley and finish with extra grated Pecorino and a drizzle of good olive oil.
