“THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT DISHES THAT CAN BE MADE IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO COOK DRIED PASTA. JUST PICK INGREDIENTS THAT DON’T NEED MUCH TIME TO COOK OR DELIVER FLAVOUR.”
ZUCCHINI PESTO PASTA
(SERVES 4-6)
“Feel free to play with the herbs in this pesto – try tarragon and parsley. The pesto can also be used as a dressing for grilled veg, chicken, white fish or even hard-boiled eggs.”
500g dried spaghetti
1 cup (250ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch basil, leaves picked, plus extra leaves to serve
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
1 cup roasted oily nuts (we used cashews, pine nuts and macadamias)
3 small zucchinis, trimmed – 2 roughly chopped, 1 thinly sliced on a mandoline
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
150g finely grated parmesan
30g unsalted butter
2 balls burrata, torn
Place a large saucepan three quarters full of cold salted water over high heat. Bring to the boil and add pasta. Return to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes less than packet instructions; the pasta will finish cooking when in the pan.
Meanwhile, to make the pesto, place oil and ½ tsp salt flakes in a blender and whiz for 1 minute to froth up mixture (this helps to retain the colour of the herbs). Add herbs and whiz to combine. Add nuts and whiz to finely
