„Lemon courgetti with spinach pesto“

Honestly I didn’t take a second look at this recipe the first time I flipped through the book. In fact, I just picked it by chance when a friend of mine gave me a particularly lush specimen during zucchini season. Anyone who has ever grown zucchini knows the dilemma: first you are happy about the good harvest, then you curse having to process zucchini every day while the unharvested ones are growing by the day, possibly breaking records. My friend’s sorrow was definitely my luck in this case. The co-taster and I were both extremely positively surprised by this recipe. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I couldn’t contain myself because it was so delicious. I also cooked it again a little later for some visitors, who were equally thrilled with this plate of green. The amounts below are for 2 people and are really filling (even for gluttons like us).

For the courgetti:

100 g spaghetti (you can also shift the spaghetti-courgetti ratio a little further towards spaghetti according to personal taste. Simply reduce the amount of zucchini used.)

2 large zucchini, cut with the spiral cutter (if necessary, a julienne cutter or vegetable peeler will do, but the zucchini should be in the shape of a noodle)

50 g spinach leaves or baby spinach

4 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into bite-sized pieces

zest of half a lemon

For the spinach pesto:

50g almonds, toasted (10 minutes in the oven at 180°, or in a pan until golden brown and fragrant)

2 garlic cloves, roasted (in the oven for 10 minutes at 180°. Roasting makes the garlic milder, so if you don’t have time, use a little less garlic, or use garlic powder)

25g fresh basil

30 g  spinach leaves or baby spinach

juice of 1 lemon

zest of half a lemon

8 tbsp olive oil

6-8 tbsp water

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions in salted water until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, for the pesto, finely blend the almonds, garlic, basil, spinach, lemon juice and zest with the oil and 6-8 tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper.

3. After the cooking time, drain the finished spaghetti and put it in a large pan with the courgetti (zucchini noodles), the spinach and the pesto (you really need a large pan because the courgetti and spinach are very bulky. Keep that in mind too, if you want to prepare the recipe for more than 2 people). When the spinach has wilted and everything is well heated, it’s time to serve.

4. Divide the contents of the pan between two deep plates and place half a diced avocado and 2 tablespoons of capers over each serving. Add the lemon zest and salt and pepper and finally:

5. Serve and enjoy!