Spaghetti with sweet onion, courgette and basil

A friend from Naples described this dish to me – it’s served in his favourite restaurant during summer, when courgettes are in abundance. The combination of ingredients is magnificent. Cook the onions and courgettes really slowly and cook them separately to allow them to develop their natural sweetness.

Serves 4 as a starter

 4tbsp olive oil  2 brown onions, thinly sliced  4 courgettes, sliced into 1cm rounds  8 basil leaves  350g spaghetti  4 courgette flowers, ripped into strips  2 egg yolks  100g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat 2tbsp of the oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly for 20min, until soft but not coloured. 2 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate frying pan on a medium heat. When hot, add the courgettes and fry gently for 20min, until soft. Add the basil leaves, then season with salt and pepper and remove the pan from the heat. 3 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and boil for 2min less than the packet instructions. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the frying pan with the courgettes. Add a ladleful of the pasta cooking water, place the frying pan back on a medium heat and add the softened onions and the courgette flowers. Cook for 2min, until warmed through and well combined. 4 Beat the egg yolks and Parmesan together in a bowl and pour this into the frying pan with the spaghetti and vegetables. Toss well and add a little more pasta cooking water so the sauce remains really creamy. 5 Serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with pepper and a little extra grated Parmesan on the side for everyone to help themselves.