So I was given a spiralizer for my birthday. Now spiralizing is one foodie fad I’ve been gamely resisting for some time, because a) I’m pretty sure that within year or two there will be many a spiralizer gathering dust at the back of kitchen cupboards across the country and b) you can create virtually the same effect with a peeler or grater – it just won’t look quite as pretty.

However, now that I’m in possession of one – I have to give it a try right? Hmmmn.. still not a convert I’m afraid. The one I’ve been given is a “mini” – which has the advantage of fitting nicely into my utensil drawer, but the disadvantage of being fairly fiddly to use, (yes there have been spiralizer injuries already) and seems to waste a good part of the vegetable.

Having said all that, the thing did encourage me to create this recipe which is absolutely delicious, incredibly health, and ready in 15 minutes flat. I urge you to try it – and if you don’t have a spiralizer, no bother. Simply use a peeler to ribbon the courgettes – or coarsely grate them (if grating there’s no need to blanch them, they’ll be soft enough as they are)

Pesto Courgetti with Roasted Tomatoes and Feta 

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 courgettes

Handful of cherry tomatoes

Olive oil

2-3 sundried tomatoes

30g feta cheese

2 tspb green pesto (if you have the time and inclination to make your own, all the better)

A handful of flat leaf parsley

Toasted pine nuts (optional)

Method

Heat the oven to 180 and boil the kettle. Put the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, season well, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10-15 minutes.

Spiralize the two courgettes into a bowl or pan (or use a peeler to create ribbons)

Chop the feta, sundried tomatoes and parsley

When the tomatoes are cooked, pour the boiling water over the courgettes and allow to blanch for 30 seconds, before draining. Put them into a bowl and stir through the pesto, feta, sundried tomatoes and roasted tomatoes. Top with flat leaf parsley.

If you have some pine nuts to hand, you could toast these while the tomatoes are cooking – they’d make a delicious addition – I didn’t have any which is why there are none in the pics!!