Name: Pasta with aubergine and courgette pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 200g pasta of your choice; 1 barbecued or baked aubergine; ½ barbecued or baked garlic bulb; 1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional); 1 courgette; ½ tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional); 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs of your choice ( mint or coriander, parsley etc); Lemon juice, to taste; 2 handfuls of wild rocket leaves; To serve: grated Parmesan or vegan cheese; Salt and pepper

Pasta with aubergine and courgette pesto

23 Jun 2021

by Dinna

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Total Time

15 minutes

Background

This pasta with aubergine and courgette pesto is made with pre-baked aubergine, so it’s super easy to create. It's ideal for busy evenings or lazy weekend lunches. (If you don’t have leftover baked aubergine & garlic, just put one of each in the oven or onto a BBQ and cook until they are soft inside.) You can use gluten-free or low-carb pasta too.

Ingredients

200g pasta of your choice
1 barbecued or baked aubergine
½ barbecued or baked garlic bulb
1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 courgette
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs of your choice ( mint or coriander, parsley etc)
Lemon juice, to taste
2 handfuls of wild rocket leaves
To serve: grated Parmesan or vegan cheese
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Scrape out the aubergine flesh into a bowl. Squeeze the flesh of garlic cloves into the bowl.
Cut the courgette into long, thin slices, then brush or spray them with olive oil. Grill them in a griddle pan or BBQ for a couple minutes until lightly charred.
Put the aubergine, garlic flesh and courgette into a food processor. Add the spices, herbs, a drop of oil, the pine nuts and chilli flakes, then whiz until you get a textured paste.
Taste and adjust the seasoning and spices and add some lemon juice to your liking.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instruction. Drain, then put it back into the pan and add the aubergine& courgette sauce. Toss well, then fold in gently the rocket leaves.
Serve with grated cheese and/or freshly ground pepper and a pinch of paprika or chilli flakes.