Courgetti with Piccolo tomatoes, grilled corn and herb dressing

If you grow your own veg you’re probably more than familiar with out-of-control courgette plants that don’t seem to stop producing! What at first seems like a blessing becomes a curse in mid-summer as you struggle to keep up with your harvest and find ways to keep things interesting in the kitchen.

Courgetti to the rescue! If you haven’t jumped on the courgetti bandwagon already, summer’s definitely the time to do so. For the uninitiated, courgetti are simply courgettes turned into noodles or spaghetti with the help of a nifty gadget called a ‘spiralizer’, or just a julienne peeler. They make a wonderful, light alternative to traditional wheat pasta and can be dressed up in all manner of ways to make a healthy meal or side dish. They’re also a great way to make a dent in the growing pile of courgettes . . .

This courgetti dish celebrates the bounty of summer vegetables, using fresh grilled corn on the cob and Piccolo tomatoes, so sweet and flavourful that they need no cooking at all.

A quick herby dressing brings everything together – I’ve used parsley and chives here but use whatever leafy herbs you can find in the garden or at the farmer’s market.

This is a lovely side for summer barbecues but equally good served with some crusty bread or just a scattering of toasted nuts for a light lunch.