Creamy Courgette Pasta

As a forager I naturally eat with the seasons, but I have a fussy 5 year old who really suffered in the courgette crisis of January 2017! This is a family favourite that features on the menu at least twice a week, even though my daughter would happily eat it every day. When we cut out dairy from our diets to help my toddlers eczema this was the biggest hurdle to overcome.

Grated courgette tastes so much better than sliced courgette. It tastes fresh and light, with a slight melon hint, and none of that wateriness that put people off. In fact, I don’t think we have ever eaten it sliced since.

This recipe works with most green veg. I sometimes ‘hide’ spinach and leeks in it too. My Facebook feed is currently filled with people asking what to do with their glut of courgettes this summer, so I think I need to share my creation.
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Recipe

Serves 4

2 medium White Onions – sliced or diced
2-3 cloves Garlic – grated or crushed
2 medium Courgettes – grated
2 handfuls of Marsh Samphire
250ml Cream (We use Oatly Cream)
½ Nutmeg – grated
1 Lemon – zest, and ½ juice if you want it lemony
Oil
Pasta (The kids like Fusilli)
Cornish Sea Salt

• On a low temperature sauté the onions in oil for at least 20 minutes, longer if you can, until translucent and gooey. This is the base for most of my recipes and I really feel the length of time the onions have cooked makes a massive difference.
• (Put the pasta on now)
• Add the zest of one lemon and freshly grate half a nutmeg. Whole nutmeg has a much deeper and intense flavour, and is available in most supermarkets. Stir and infuse for a couple of minutes.
• Grate or crush the garlic into the pan. Stir and infuse for a couple of minutes again, but no longer as garlic burns easily.
• Add the juice of half a lemon if you want the dish lemony.
• Add the grated courgette. Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes.
• Add the cream, marsh samphire, and a couple of pinches of salt and warm through. Use good quality salt. We love Cornish Sea Salt for its sweet, mineral flavour. The salt really brings out the contrast in flavours in this dish, don’t be shy with it!
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and coat evenly. We add more salt at this point, but taste and check first!