Rachel Roddy's refreshing summer pasta dish has just what you need for hot days: light, flavourful ingredients that won't weigh you down. Drawing on traditional Neapolitan cuisine, her 'pasta with courgette, spring onion and raw tomato salsa' is the perfect recipe to beat the heat.
This clever take on a classic pasta dish treats cooked pasta like a salad – gently tossed with fresh condiments and dressing. By doing so, Roddy avoids the heaviness often associated with hot pasta meals, making it ideal for our increasingly warm summer days.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its balance of textures and flavours. Softened courgettes and spring onions are paired with a vibrant, room-temperature salsa made by macerating ripe tomatoes in olive oil, basil, oregano, and garlic. This method is reminiscent of chef Valentina Harris's 'sugo di vacanza' or 'holiday sauce', where the flavour develops while you enjoy your day – ready to be mixed with pasta upon your return.
To get the best texture and flavour, Roddy recommends using a mix of tomato varieties, including sweet cherry, fleshy, and slightly firmer green types. Smaller courgettes also work well. A top tip is to add some starchy cooking water from the pasta when softening the courgettes – it helps both with cooking and binding the sauce.
This recipe serves four and requires 450g of pasta, two large courgettes, three to four spring onions, 400g of ripe tomatoes, and seven tablespoons of olive oil. You'll also need basil, oregano, and garlic. Roddy suggests a final toss before serving to ensure the pasta is coated with juices and condiments – with extra olive oil and fresh basil added to taste.