Serves: 5

Fresh from the kitchen of Dean Parker, head chef and co-owner at Celentano’s in Glasgow, this recipe calls for courgette in both puree and whole form, combined with pumpkin seed ragu. Delicious.

Ingredients

For the courgette slices:

1 medium courgette (sliced thinly to 2mm)
500ml vegetable stock
25g miso
50ml extra virgin olive oil
100g diced cold butter

For the courgette puree:

300g courgette, cut lengthwise into quarters, seeds removed
Then slice the courgette into ¼s as thinly as you can
20g garlic, finely sliced
1 bunch basil
20 green olives, stoned and roughly chopped
150g vegetable stock
150ml extra virgin olive oil
80ml pomace oil

For the pumpkin seed ragu:

300g pumpkin seeds
250ml extra virgin olive oil
250g diced shallots
20g chopped garlic
500ml vegetable stock
20g organic soy miso
5g black berber chilli powder (can use a smoked chipotle chilli)
1 lemon zest

To serve:

450g pasta of choice (we recommend agnolotti)
50ml vegetable stock
Parmesan, fresh basil and breadcrumbs to garnish (optional)

Method

For the courgette slices:

1. Cover your courgette slices in olive brine, and leave for at least a couple of hours (alternatively, you can make a brine by mixing 1 litre of water with 30g salt).

2. Boil stock in a medium sized pot, big enough to put the pasta and garnish into.

3. In a small cup, mix 10g of the cold butter and extra virgin olive oil. Mix until smooth then add to the pot with the stock. With a stick blender, add small knobs of butter while blending.

4. Use the miso to season, and blend in according to your taste. Add small amounts and taste regularly.

For the courgette puree:

1. Heat a large pot on medium heat with a little extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the courgette. Cover and fry for a few minutes (until it starts to soften), then add garlic and fry for another minute. Don’t let the garlic colour.

2. Add the basil, stock and olives. Cover and boil for 2 minutes.

3. Season with salt and pepper, stir then remove from the heat.

4. Place in blender and blend on high speed for about 3-5 minutes, then blend in the extra virgin olive oil. Leave to chill.

For the pumpkin seed ragu:

1. Roast the seeds in the oven until golden on around 175ºC for roughly 10 minutes.

2. Heat a medium pot and add extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and fry until golden, then add shallots. Once soft, add the chilli powder.

3. Add your toasted seeds and cover with stock.

4. Blend with stick blender.

5. Season to taste with miso and add lemon zest.

To serve:

1. Boil your pasta of choice in seasoned water as per package instructions.

2. In a flared saucepan, place puree in then mix a little bit of stock to lighten it up.

3. Add some slices of courgette and gently heat up.

4. In a separate pot, heat up the pumpkin seed ragu.

5. Drain pasta, add to sauce and gently fold pasta through.

6. Plate your pasta onto heated plates, then sprinkle seed ragu over.

7. Place courgette slices randomly over the top.

8. Top with optional breadcrumbs, parmesan and fresh basil to finish.

3 flavoursome and nutritious courgette recipes to enjoy this summer