First of all…what are Courgetti?
The most fashionable dish-craze in every healthy kitchen of the moment: courgette-spaghetti.
A much healthier version of the Italian traditional dish that can help you assimilate more greens through your diet too.
To cut Courgetti into the shape of spaghetti, thin and long, you will need to get a Spiralizer, an inexpensive kitchen tool which comes in different shape and functions depending on your needs (see article).
As a good Italian I took some of my favourite pasta sauces, transformed them into the tastiest, most nutrients-packed and healthiest version and used them as accompaniment for my bowl of Courgetti.
Courgetti Puttanesca
Serves:
2 people
Ingredients:
- 3 large courgettes (or 5 small ones)
- 6 chopped anchovy fillets
- 2 sliced red chillies
- a handful of destoned black olives
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- a small bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 tbsp of Coconut Oil
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method:
Place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a tbsp of Coconut Oil, followed by the garlic, anchovy and chilli. Mix in the olives and stir for 2 minutes, or until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp of water and cover with a lid. Cook for other 3 to 4 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes start to cook down slightly.
Meanwhile put the spiralized courgettes in a steamer and let it soften for 5 minutes (depending on taste, I like them “al-dente” or raw for this recipe).
Add the Courgetti to the sauce and garnish with the basil leaves.
Courgetti Carbonara:
Serves:
2 people
Ingredients:
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 100g Italian diced unsmoked pancetta (Waitrose)
- 3 large courgettes (or 5 small ones)
- 1/2 clove of garlic, peeled
- ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- Himalayan sea salt
- Shaves Pecorino cheese (optional)
Method
Put the eggs into a bowl, season with pepper, then mix well with a fork and put to one side. Cook the pancetta in a frying pan, you won’t need to add oil as the pancetta will cook in it’s own fat (in case you feel that the pancetta is sticking to the pan then add a tbsp of coconut oil), add the crushed garlic clove and keep stirring until the pancetta bronzes (approx. 4 mins).
In the mean time put the spiralized courgettes in a steamer and let it soften for 5 minutes (you want them to be “al-dente” for carbonara).
Pick out and discard the garlic from the pan, then, add the Courgetti. Toss well over the heat so they will really soak up all the flavour, then lower the heat to the minimum. Pour in the egg mixture: the low heat will help to cook the eggs gently, rather than scrambling them. Toss well until it’s lovely and glossy. Serve with a grating of Pecorino cheese and an extra twist of pepper to taste.
Salmon and Asparagus Courgetti
- 3 large courgettes (or 5 small ones)
- Roughly 110g Salmon fillet
- A bunch of Asparagus
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 and 1/2 avocado
- 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method:
Begin making the sauce. Put the avocado, the lemon juice, the virgin olive oil and two twists of Himalayan Salt into a food processor, blend it until smooth and add water if needed to make the sauce creamier (but make sure is not runny).
You have now your healthy Cream substitute!
Now put the spiralized courgettes in a steamer and let it soften for 5 minutes (I like them well cooked for this recipe). In the mean time start cooking the salmon fillet into a grill (I personally recommend George Foreman grills) for about 4 minutes until cooked through and steam the asparagus for approx 6 minutes. Once they are both ready, remove the skin from the salmon and cut the fillet and the asparagus in small chunks.
Mix the Courgetti in the avocado sauce, and then add the Salmon and the asparagus chuncks on top with a twist of black pepper to serve.
Courgetti Bolognese
Serves:
2 People
Ingredients:
- 3 large courgette (or 5 small ones)
- 350g lean British beef mince
- 400g tins of plum tomatoes
- 1/2 cloves of garlic , peeled and finely sliced
- 1 small onion , peeled and finely chopped
- Rosemary
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
Method:
Preheat a pan on a medium heat with a tbsp of coconut oil and add the onions and the garlic. cook for a couple of minutes, stirring now and then until they soften, and then add the mince beef separating the clumps with a wooden spoon. Cook for approx. 8 minutes until it starts browning evenly and then add the tinned tomatoes. Stir well and break the plum tomatoes apart. Cook for other 6-8 minutes.
In the mean time put the spiralized courgettes in a steamer and let it soften for 5 minutes (depending on taste, I like them “al-dente”)
Prepare to serve mixing the courgetti with the sauce, top up with a tbsp of olive oil or two to moist and the rosemary.
Nonna’s Porcini & Noci Courgetti
Serves:
2 people
Ingredients:
- 3 large Courgettes (or 5 small ones)
- 180g of dried porcini or fresh mushrooms
- 50g walnuts (Italian = noci) or Pecan nuts, depending on preference
- 1 clove of garlic
- 25g unsalted organic butter
- Himalayan Salt
- Grounded Black Pepper
- 100ml red wine
Method:
Cut the mushrooms in fine and long slices. Crush the garlic with the blade of a knife and put it in a sauce pan on medium heat with the butter for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and let it cook for approx 5 minutes. Add the wine and let it cook for 5 more minutes, keep tossing time to time.
Pick out and discard the garlic from the pan, switch off the hob and add the salt, the pepper, the parsley and the walnuts, previously broken into smaller pieces, to the mixture. Toss well.
In the mean time put the spiralized courgettes in a steamer and let it soften for 3-4 minutes (depending on taste, I like them “al-dente”).
Once Courgetti are ready, mix them properly with the Mushrooms and the Walnuts adding a tbsp of Virgin Olive Oil to garnish. Ready to serve!
