Courgette Pesto (with Gorgonzola Ravioli)

I feel I have to come clean about one thing before I start - the ravioli in the picture are not homemade. We do make our own pasta but it's definitely a weekend activity and as this was a mid-week meal, I'm afraid the ravioli came from a deli.

Having cleared that up, I can announce with great joy that this is a random recipe.The Random Recipes challenge is the brainchild of Dom from Belleau Kitchen. Its aim (in his words), is 'to encourage us to use our recipe books more whilst also being more adventurous with our cooking... to shake up the 'everyday' chef and bring out a few little ideas we may have never tried before...'. It's a great concept and I'm delighted that I got organised enough to actually enter this month, albeit rather late.

The theme for March is Cuttings and Clippings. Like most of us, I have a couple of files bulging with recipes ripped out of magazines, hand written scraps of paper and photocopies of photocopies, origin unknown. My cookery books also occasionally yield up forgotten treasures from within, the scrawled sheets fluttering to the floor as I flick through their pages. Not wishing to flout the rules of the challenge, I closed my eyes and took my chance. My random selection was this 'Pesto di Zucchine', a clipping from an Italian food magazine called 'Sale e Pepe'. Although I probably cut it out about four years ago, I had never actually made it so the Random Recipe challenge ethos certainly worked this time.

My favourite pesto still has to be the classic genovese recipe, that magical mix of basil, pine nuts and pecorino, tossed simply with some al dente linguine. This pesto had a very delicate flavour which I don't think would work on its own with normal pasta but when paired with filled pasta like tortellini or these ravioli, it compliments the taste without overpowering.

This post is making its way over to Dom at Belleau Kitchen for Random Recipes and I'm hoping I'm still in time for Pasta Please, from Jac at Tinned Tomatoes, hosted this month by Jen over at Blue Kitchen Bakes.


       


RECIPE, from Sale & Pepe magazine, Dec 2008

300g courgettes
50g fresh basil leaves
30g pine nuts
a clove garlic
50g fresh parmesan, grated
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Slice the courgettes and fry gently in a tablespoon of olive oil. After a few minutes, add the crushed clove of garlic and continue cooking for about 15 mins until the courgettes are soft and golden.

Put the courgette mixture in a blender or food processor together with the basil, pine nuts and enough olive oil to make a thick paste, probably about 5 or 6 tablespoons.  Blend until smooth and stir through the grated parmesan at the end.

Cook whatever pasta you're using until al dente and toss everything together gently.  Serve with a few basil leaves scattered over and a shaving or two of parmesan.