It’s been a great year for the squashes…

It’s been perfect conditions for courgettes – for all summer squashes in fact. Lots of sun and lots of rain, and generally pretty warm weather. Most gardeners are in seventh heaven – but what are you going to do with all your courgettes?!

Here are five simple recipes to help you start wading through that heap of gorgeous courgettes. If you’ve got any other suggestions, we’d love to hear in the comments below.

That viral courgette pasta dish

You know the one; Stanley Tucci has been losing his mind over it. It’s formally called Spaghetti alla Nerano and it’s deceptively simple in concept. But what a fantastic dish. Stanley has it right.

Start with frying thinly sliced courgettes in olive oil until golden, then setting them aside to cool – or even chill overnight in the fridge if you can. Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Meanwhile, return the courgettes to a pan with a ladleful of pasta water, letting them soften further into a creamy base. Drain the pasta and toss it straight into the pan with the courgettes, stirring vigorously with more pasta water to help it all emulsify. Off the heat, add heaps of grated pecorino and parmesan, seasoning, and stir quickly to melt it into the sauce. Finish with torn basil leaves and a drizzle of good olive oil, then serve immediately while it’s still glossy and hot.

Simple griddled courgettes

Lovely and easy – slice thinly lengthways and either griddle or barbecue the courgettes – but quickly. You want flavour without them going too soggy. Cool them, lay them flat on a plate or toss them in a bowl, and add freshly squeezed lemon, really good extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, salt and pepper – even some fresh herbs if you’re feeling fancy. This is a brilliant side dish, or a salad dish on its own. It’s also vegan and uses up a ton of your green fruits really fast.

Power up that buddha bowl

You don’t have to cook courgettes. They’re absolutely delicious raw, and a softer taste and hit than their cucumber cousins. Grate them, slice them, chop them, or make them into courgetti (like here). Dress them up – they love lemon and oil, or any fresh summery dressing. Remember they contain a lot of water though – eat them quickly before your buddha is swimming.

Chilled courgette soup

This sort of thing is a great way to use up all sorts of green things, really. But let’s focus on courgettes for now. Start by gently cooking chopped courgettes and a little onion or shallot in olive oil until soft but not browned. Add a clove of garlic and gently cook for another minute, then pour in enough vegetable stock to just cover the vegetables and simmer.

Once everything is tender, blend the soup with a handful of fresh summer herbs like basil or mint, and a spoonful of crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt for creaminess. Chill it in the fridge for a few hours until cold. Before serving, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with extra herbs. You could even add cute edible flowers if you like, Meghan-style (!) Serve cold, ideally on a hot day.

Courgette ribbon salad with feta and pine nuts

Again with the lovely crunch of raw courgette, but there’s a bit more substance to this salad. Use a mandolin or really sharp knife to get thin slices and simply build this salad in the bowl. Croutons, crumbled feta, herbs, pine nuts, pesto dressing. Lots of summery, Mediterranean flavours in a light but punchy salad that’s easy to throw together. You could probably add some black olives to this too, a squeeze of lemon, some oil. Go nuts, enjoy yourself.

Fried courgette crisps

To be honest, you have to eat these straight from the pan for them to be actually crispy, but it doesn’t matter. These are so lovely to eat – and perfect to go with your aperitif or glass of chilled wine on a summer evening. Slice, dust in SR flour, and fry. The only thing these need is a sprinkle of good salt. Simples.