I like keeping pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds in my pocket so I can crack and nibble them when I'm bored. It's a habit I picked up in Central Asia, where bus shelters are often littered with husks. Pumpkin seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals, so there's good reason to include them as an ingredient when cooking too.
The quantities given here are enough for three people.
Ingredients
300-350g pasta
300g courgettes
300g tomatoes
1 onion
A handful of pumpkin seeds
A few crushed black peppercorns
A pinch of dried oregano
Olive oil
Salt
Fill a large pan with water and add a little salt, put it on the stove and while it's heating, chop the courgettes into small pieces (about 1 cm squares or even smaller). Chop the tomatoes roughly and slice the onion.
When the water is boiling, add the pasta and turn down the heat. Fry the sliced onion in a little olive oil until it begins to turn golden then add the pumpkin seeds and stir for a minute. Add the courgettes, tomatoes and seasoning and cover the pan. When the pasta is ready, drain it and add to the courgette mixture. Stir and serve.
If you've bought a sack of courgettes and you enjoy this recipe, there's still courgette and red pepper pasta and pasta with courgettes and capers to check out.