Pasta pesto with vegetables - serves 4

To prepare the sauce, you can use ready-made pesto, available in jars.

Heat a large pan of water. When it boils, add the salt, and plunge in the spaghetti and the vegetables. By the time the pasta is cooked al dente (just tender), the vegetables should also be just tender. Just before you drain the spaghetti, take a tablespoon of the cooking water and stir it into the pesto. Drain the pasta and vegetables, and quickly transfer them to a hot dish. Stir in the pesto and toss. Garnish with the basil leaves and serve. Have a little grated Parmesan cheese ready for those who want it.