Spring-time Spaghetti

A photograph of a bowl of spaghetti with seems to be strands of courgette and chilli flakes in. The photo is surrounded by Home Instead branding with the logo in the bottom left corner

Ingredients

  • 250g spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 4 bulbs of garlic (or more if you want extra garlic)
  • 1 large courgette
  • 6 tenderstem broccoli spears
  • 6 asparagus spears
  • Half a cup of frozen peas
  • a bunch of chives (dried chives are fine if you don’t have fresh)
  • 1x lemon (juice and rind)
  • 250ml single cream or single cream alternative
  • Half a teaspoon of chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon of Paprika
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Parmesan cheese or alternative (optional)

 

Serving size: 4 servings

 

Directions:

Step 1:

Prepare your veg by chopping up your; garlic, courgette, asparagus, tenderstem broccoli and chives. Chop your garlic up however you like. 

Chop your courgette into discs and then chop them in half again so they are in a semi circle shape, alternatively you can also peel your courgette so they are in thin long strips. Chop your asparagus up into small sections. Chop your tenderstem broccoli length ways and chop your chives up into small pieces. Chop your lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a cup making sure no lemon seeds are within the juice, then use a grater to grate the lemon rind and add to a bowl. Put your prepped veg to the side for the time being.

 

Step 2:

Pre-heat your frying pan to mark 7 on your hob and add a tablespoon of olive oil once it has heated, turn the heat down to about 6 on your hob. Grab your sauce pan for your spaghetti and add your spaghetti into the pan with a table spoon of salt. Boil your kettle and add the water to your spaghetti once the kettle is done and turn the heat to mark 5 on your hob. Cover your spaghetti with a lid.

 

Step 3:

(Note: make sure your are stirring all of your veg regularly)

Throw your chopped garlic into the frying pan and cook for about a minute. If the oil is spitting, turn down the heat. We want to make sure that the garlic doesn’t burn in this time. Add your courgette in now if you have chopped it into semi circle shapes, let it cook for about 2 mins or until it goes slightly golden brown. Then add the tenderstem broccoli, again let this cook for about 2 mins or until it goes slightly golden brown. Add your asparagus pieces and cook for around 1 minute or until it is slightly golden brown. If you have opted for peeling your courgette, this is where you would add it in, stir and cook for about two minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. Leave everything in the pan to cook for additional 3-5 mins if some of the veg still looks undercooked. Now add your peas and let them cook for about a minute.

 

Step 4:

Add your cream to the frying pan where all the veg is and stir everything together. Add your lemon juice and lemon rind, chilli flakes (or more if you like a bit of heat), paprika, salt and chives and mix everything together (make sure to give your sauce a taste to see if it needs anything extra adding). After the ingredients have been mixed, add about two to three ladles of pasta water (don’t drain your pasta yet), this will help make your sauce silky and smooth. Mix everything together and bring your heat down to mark 5 on the hob and let it simmer for the mean time.

 

Step 5:

Whilst your sauce is simmering away, check your spaghetti to see if it has cooked. If it is cooked go ahead and drain your pasta and set aside for a moment. Make sure you turn off the heat for the hob the spaghetti was on.

 

Step 6:

Once your sauce has simmered down (your sauce should be smooth and silky and not paste like) add your spaghetti and mix it all together. Turn off the heat from your hob.

 

Step 7:

Plate up your Spring-time Spaghetti (Optional: go get your parmesan cheese or whatever alternative equivalent and grate or sprinkle on top of your spaghetti.)

 

Enjoy!