Lemon Veggie Pasta

I first made this as an experiment when I didn't have any chicken in the house, but wanted to make some kind of hearty pasta dish. It later became a staple when I used to observe Meatless Mondays - I only stopped observing them because we usually have a meat-free meal at least once a week, but most of the time, more often than that, it just doesn't always happen on Mondays. I really love this dish because it's delicious, fast, easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand even if it's been a while since I went to the shops.

Ingredients

Salt & olive oil for boiling pasta water
250g fresh fusilli or penne pasta
1/2 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup frozen edamame (soya beans)
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup starchy pasta water (reserved before straining the pasta)
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube mixed with 1/4 cup water (I use Oxo)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pinch of dried chilli flakes

 Method

1. Boil pasta according to directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water before straining and set aside. Put strained pasta into a mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Mix together stock, lemon juice, zest, edamame & corn. Heat over medium-high until boiling. Reduce to medium and cook until frozen veggies are done. About 3 or 4 minutes, adding more water by the tablespoon full if necessary.

3. Add salt, pepper & chilli flakes to the veggie mixture & stir before removing from heat.

4. In the mixing bowl add 3/4 of the cheese to the pasta along with 1/2 of the pasta water and mix together.

5. Add the veggie mixture and remaining pasta water to the bowl. Stir until all the pasta is coated.

 6. To serve, spoon the pasta into a warm pasta bowl or plate and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

I have made this dish multiple ways, using all types of stock from homemade to cube, chicken or vegetable... It all works. For vegetarians, be sure to use a vegetable stock cube. For leftovers, add a few tablespoons of water to it and either warm up in a non-stick frying pan with the lid on over low heat or pop it in the microwave, stirring every few minutes.