Courgette & basil pasta with pesto crumbs
By Jane Hornby
Serve this summery pasta bake with roasted vine tomatoes and a rocket salad
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Prep:15 mins
Cook:40 mins
- Serves 6
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
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kcal 760
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fat 44g
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saturates 24g
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carbs 77g
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sugars 8g
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fibre 5g
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protein 18g
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salt 0.35g
Ingredients
- 500g pack penne
- 5 courgettes, grated
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g pot crème fraîche
- 25g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated
- small bunch basil, reserve a few leaves for garnishing
- 85g chunk ciabatta
- handful toasted pine nuts, plus a few extra for sprinkling
Tip
Roasted vine tomatoesSnip 3 large bunches cherry tomatoes on the vine into smaller bunches. Sit in a shallow roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil, scatter with seasoning and roast at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 10 mins while the pasta finishes in the oven.Rocket, mint & broad bean salad
Cook 100g double-podded broad beans in boiling water for 2-3 mins until tender. Drain, cool under running water, then drain again. Tip onto a platter with 2 x 100g bags rocket. Pick leaves from a small bunch mint and add these with a handful Parmesan shavings. Drizzle with a little olive oil, squeeze over some lemon juice and toss to serve.
Method
Slightly undercook the pasta, then drain, reserving a ladleful of cooking water. Rinse the pasta with cold water to cool. Drain again, toss in a little oil to stop it sticking together and set aside while you get the rest of the bake ready.
Fry the courgettes in oil for about 10 mins to drive off most of the liquid; they should reduce down a lot. Add the garlic and onion to the pan, cook for 2 mins more, then season really well and add to the pasta. Stir in most of the crème fraîche and half the Parmesan with seasoning, then tip into an ovenproof dish. Dollop the rest of the crème fraîche over the top.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Whizz nearly all of the basil, remaining cheese, bread and pine nuts together to make pesto crumbs, then scatter all over the top. Finish with a few more pine nuts. Bake for 20 mins until the topping is crisp and bubbling at the edges. Serve with a few more basil leaves scattered over.
