Tired of courgettes yet? I’m happy to say I’m not having managed to keep them to a reasonable size this year. No monster marrows here thank you. Last year, before our round courgettes ballooned to the size of footballs, I challenged my friend Joel to turn this one into something tasty. Joel loves being inventive in the kitchen so you’ll never see a cookbook on his counter. Definitely ticks the ‘tasty’ box don’t you think?
Ingredients: pasta, courgette, onion, garlic, broad beans, tinned tomatoes, stock, paprika, basil, cheese, bacon (optional for veggie version)
to make Joel’s courgette pasta bake
- fry up two cloves of garlic and one onion. Chop your courgette roughly into cubes and add to the wok with the onion and garlic. In the meantime steam a handful of broad beans for approximately three minutes until they had softened.
- Cut two rashers of smoked back bacon into small pieces and add them to the courgette mix. While the bacon turns pale pink boil some pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
- Once the bacon’s cooked add a tin of tomatoes, 300ml of organic tomato and herb stock, paprika, pepper and basil. Then stir in the broad beans and the cooked pasta.
- Finally top with grated mature cheddar cheese and put it in the oven at 160°c for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Nip it in the bud 
Looks amazing! (the dish and Joel!)
Looks very good indeed 🙂
Very tasty indeed – we haven’t grown courgette’s this year, well I’m the only one in the family that eats them really, but this dish does look very tasty.
Nina xx
Kirsten – I didn’t get to sample it but having tried some of Joel’s other made-up-on-the-spot creations I’d have to agree
Jac – it got a big thumbs up from his kids which is always a good acid test
Nina – Homegrown courgettes are a world apart from bitter, tougher shop bought ones – I reckon more people would enjoy courgettes if they had the chance to eat them straight from the plant.
Hi Nic, that dish looks great and another courgette recipe is always good! BBq courgettes will be tried and tested!
The plot BBQ had a tasty menu, varied and inviting looking. Any ideas on the quiche ingredients, I love making these, usually making 2 at a time, one to eat hot and one for the next day cold with salad.
Hi Peggy, bbq courgettes are definitely worth a go. Gotta love food you can pick up with your fingers ;o)
Nuch made the quiche, her first attempt at a veggie one. It was packed full with scrummy veg she’d lightly cooked beforehand: onion, courgette, pepper, globe artichoke hearts, black olives, sungblush tomatoes and cheese.
Oh that looks great and I still have an abundance of courgette to use up. I will be making this…and soon.
Ooh, looks good. I would add summer savoury (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_savory) hard to find in the shops, but easy enough to grow.
I’ve not tried it myself (or ever seen it in recipes). I do love how a single dish can be served in so many different ways just by changing the herbs you flavour it with.
[…] Courgettes and runner beans and turned them into this bake :- Joel’s courgette pasta bake | Nip it in the bud […]
Hello Bren, I was a little taken aback when I misread your comment as ”my least favourite thing to do with courgettes”! So glad you like the recipe. I can’t reply back on your thread as I’m not a member of the group so fingers crossed this reply reaches you. Happy growing (and cooking!)
[…] Evening, sorry to read about your plot Jeanie I do think you should drop the council a note letting them know about the damage that been done. Dotty we're down to just one courgette in the fridge and thats after eating them with nearly every meal can't remember if I've posted this link but it my latest favourite thing to do with courgettes :- Joel’s courgette pasta bake | Nip it in the bud […]