Spaghettini w Creamy Smooth Feta Pesto

Wholemeal spaghettini tossed in a smooth fetta pesto, zucchini noodles folded through for lightness. Black pepper, chilli flakes and a sharp olive oil bring the dish together in under fifteen minutes. Weeknight Italian, no sauce-simmering required.

The fetta pesto is the upgrade on a standard basil pesto, swapping the parmesan for Riverina creamy smooth fetta. The result reads lactic and salty rather than nutty and grassy; the texture sits between a Greek tirokafteri and a softer Italian sauce. Blitz the fetta with olive oil and a touch of pasta water in a food processor until it goes silky and pourable; salt to taste.

The half-pasta, half-zoodle approach is the modern weeknight compromise that cuts the carb load without losing the textural pleasure of pasta. Spiralised zucchini noodles fold through the cooked spaghettini and pick up the dressing the same way; the slight crunch and the green colour break up the bowl visually and nutritionally.

Don't cook the zucchini noodles. The residual heat from the just-drained pasta wilts them slightly without making them go soggy; over-cooking them turns them watery and ruins the dish. Toss everything together in the pasta pot off the heat, with a generous splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen the fetta. Chilli flakes, black pepper, more fetta crumbled over the top. A green salad on the side; a glass of cold Pinot Grigio.