Before she became a royal, Meghan Markle was quite the food influencer, often sharing her favourite recipes and dining spots with her followers. Many of these culinary gems were shared on her blog, The Tig, while others were revealed during TV cooking segments. One recipe that recently piqued my interest was a pasta sauce that the former actress dubbed as "filthy, sexy mush." In an interview with food publication Delish, Meghan detailed her daily diet and first introduced this unique pasta sauce.
She explained that you simply simmer courgette, a bouillon cube, and some water for four to five hours until it transforms into a "filthy, sexy mush", adding: "The sauce gets so creamy, you'd swear there's tons of butter and oil in it, but it's just zucchini, water and a little bouillon.". I must admit, I'd never heard a pasta sauce described as "filthy" or "sexy," and "mush" didn't sound particularly appealing either, but curiosity got the better of me.
Preparing Meghan's pasta dish was straightforward, requiring only two ingredients that are both affordable and easy to find. A pack of three courgettes is priced at just £1.39, and a pack of bouillon cubes ranges from £1.65 to £1.85, depending on whether they're vegan or meat-based. As a vegetarian, I naturally chose the vegan option. I admit I had doubts about whether two simple ingredients plus a bit of water could really turn into a delicious pasta sauce, and my scepticism grew with every hour the courgette simmered away. Yet, when it was all dished up, the results were surprisingly delightful.
But, when it came time to plate the pasta and sauce, I was pleasantly surprised at how it tasted. And while I wouldn't go as far as to describe the pasta as "sexy" or "filthy", "mush" was quite an accurate description of the sauce. This dish is definitely on my list to whip up again, perhaps with a twist next time - following the lead of numerous online foodies who suggest throwing in some onion for some extra flavour.
Ingredients (Serves Two). You start by bringing water to a boil – though some say you can start with cold water, so take your pick. Drop the chopped courgettes into a pot with water and a bouillon cube, cover it up, and let it cook on low-medium heat for a solid four hours, giving it an occasional stir. Pop in a bit more water if it looks like it needs it. When there are roughly 20 minutes left on the clock for the courgette, get the pasta rolling in boiling, salted water. Once both components are cooked through, mix them together and serve the concoction in pasta bowls.
