Rachel Roddy’s recipe for spaghetti with prawns, courgettes and gremolata | A kitchen in Rome
While tidying the freezer the other week, I found yet another reminder of my (late) friend and teacher Carla Tomasi in the form of a Tupperware box a bit larger than a matchbox,Unlike the rest of the unmarked boxes with identical sky-blue lids and opaque sides, I knew exactly what this was: a mix of parsley, garlic and lemon zest (otherwise known as gremolata or gremolada) made last June to go with braised chicken, but not finished, so the leftovers were put in the freezer,I exchanged messages with Carla all the time and, knowing how much she loved freezer-talk, I consulted her as to how long she thought the mix would keep in there,She gave two replies: an official one of three to six months, and an unofficial one of a year, which must have sunk into my unconscious like a preset alarm because, almost a year later (and 10 months since she passed away), I find myself in front of my chaotic freezer, holding a tub of finely minced things and thinking, “There you are!” and, “Thanks, Carla!”Gremolata is a typically Milanese mix, and the name means to reduce into grains,And that is precisely what you do to a clove of garlic, a handful of parsley and the zest of a large unwaxed lemon in order to make a fine and fragrant rubble, which can be made by hand or in a food processor.
While gremolata is closely associated and served with braised osso buco and risotto alla Milanese, it is a fantastically versatile addition to all kinds of other dishes.Even though it can be used raw, the best of gremolata is brought out by heat, which wakes up the garlic (and softens its pungency, too) and the natural oils in the lemon zest.Also in my freezer were some peeled prawns; not a year old, but nearing freezer burn.It is still asparagus time, so the addition of a few spears cut into strips are an option here.However, new season courgettes, especially pale or striped varieties with dense, creamy flesh, work particularly well with prawns and gremolata.
While the strips of courgette don’t have to be as slim as strings of pasta, they should be of similar proportions, so they mix well with the spaghetti (if you have one, a wired puntarelle cutter or electric spiraliser would be helpful here, otherwise just stick to a good sharp knife).As ever, the pasta cooking water that clings to the strings of spaghetti (which are also full of starch) is a helpful ingredient, because it combines with the oil to give the sauce a creamy consistency and brings everything together.I find two forked or wooden spoons are the best tools to toss thoroughly, or simply jolt the pan – remember, you are waking up the garlic, parsley and lemon zest, too, so the tossing should be energetic.Make sure the prawns and courgettes are evenly distributed, then serve with more olive oil on top.Serves 4600g courgettes1 small garlic clove, peeledHandful flat-leaf parsleyFinely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon Salt1 onion, peeled and finely diced 4-6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for serving 300–400g small peeled prawns (cooked or uncooked)400-500g spaghettiTop and tail the courgettes, then cut them into long, thin strips.
Prepare the gremolata by very finely mincing the garlic with the parsley, then mix in the lemon zest.Bring a large pan of water to a boil for the pasta.Working in a large frying pan, fry the onion and a pinch of salt in the olive oil until the onion starts to soften.Add the courgettes and fry until both are soft and floppy.Meanwhile, salt the boiling water, drop in the spaghetti, then set a timer.
Keep a close eye on the timings; a minute before the pasta is ready to come out, add the prawns and gremolada to the courgettes (if the prawns are cooked, they will need just seconds; if they are raw, they will need a minute or so).Lift the spaghetti directly into the courgette pan with a little of its cooking water clinging to the strands, then toss thoroughly.Serve with little more olive oil on top.
M&S boss’s pay package soared to £7.1m weeks before cyber-attack
The pay package of Marks & Spencer’s chief executive jumped to more than £7m just weeks before the cyber-attack that rocked the retailer.Stuart Machin received £7.1m for last financial year, up nearly 40% on the £5.1m he took home a year earlier, according to its annual report. He received the bump thanks to a sharp rise in performance-linked bonuses
Ex-minister Greg Hands to advise Royal Mail buyer Daniel Křetínský
The former Conservative trade minister Greg Hands has been appointed as a strategic adviser to a Czech conglomerate best known in the UK for acquiring Royal Mail.EP Group – which also has investments in the energy, media and property sectors – is run by the multibillionaire Czech tycoon Daniel Křetínský, who Hands said he has known for “a long time”. The group received approval for its takeover of Royal Mail in December 2024, after long-running UK government efforts to assess the national security considerations of the deal.Hands will advise EP Group in the UK and in Germany, countries where Křetínský said the former minister’s “deep understanding of … business and energy landscapes, coupled with his extensive experience in government and international trade, will be invaluable”.The one-time politician is fluent in German and also speaks “good Czech”, the statement added
More than 130 official suppliers willing to sell cloned UK number plates, experts find
More than 130 official suppliers of vehicle number plates in the UK are willing to sell cloned versions that could thwart police and avoid congestion charges, according to an investigation by government advisers.The alleged abuse of the system is described by the academics as a risk to law enforcement, road safety and the country’s critical national infrastructure.The expert group, which includes Dr Fraser Sampson, who was the government’s biometric surveillance camera commissioner until 2023, warns that the country is dependent on the “humble number plate”, but “anyone can become a DVLA-registered number plate scheme (RNPS) member on payment of £40.”They write: “There is no vetting, no trading history requirement and no monitoring of members’ practices.“To date we have found over 135 DVLA-registered RNPS members nationally who were prepared to make cloned plates … and there will undoubtedly be more
What is the most common mental health misinformation on TikTok?
Thousands of influencers peddle mental health misinformation on social media platforms – some out of a naive belief that their personal experience will help people, others because they want to boost their following or sell products.As part of a Guardian investigation, experts established clear themes to the misinformation contained in videos posted with a #mentalhealthtips hashtag on TikTok.Several videos about borderline personality disorder suggest symptoms that are everyday experiences – such as feeling anxiety when people change plans, experiencing mood swings, a fear of abandonment and mirroring people’s behaviour to be liked.Another video purports to show how depression manifests in the workplace as a lack of concentration, feeling tired, having low energy levels, a loss of appetite and irritability.“While some of the ‘symptoms’ overlap with depression, these can be attributed to a range of afflictions and struggles,” said Liam Modlin, a therapist and psychology researcher at King’s College London
Djokovic brushes Norrie aside to reach record 19th quarter-final in Paris
In the final stretch of his strangest clay-court season, which has included a period when he could barely win a match, Novak Djokovic continues to rebuild his confidence at precisely the right time. He brushed aside a resurgent Cameron Norrie with a controlled, efficient performance to return to the French Open quarter-finals.As is usually the case when he enters a grand slam tournament these days, Djokovic’s performance here has shattered more records. In what will be his 19th quarter-final at Roland Garros, that is the most a male player has reached at a major, surpassing Roger Federer, who reached 18 at Wimbledon. He has now secured 100 singles wins at the French Open, the second man to do so after Rafael Nadal’s 112
Max Verstappen must control his road rage to cement his legacy as a great | Giles Richards
There was no justification for Max Verstappen’s rash and futile act of retribution at the Spanish Grand Prix, when he deliberately drove into the side of George Russell’s car. The world champion knows it and on Monday he admitted as much with something of a mea culpa on social media. Yet it also must be considered that it is part and parcel of what makes Verstappen so competitive, albeit in this case in an entirely unedifying and self‑defeating fashion.Angry and frustrated at a sequence of events in Barcelona, including having to cede a place to Russell, Verstappen surrendered to his baser instincts. Having pulled over to give the place to Russell, he clearly then felt a point had to be made and accelerated back up the inside to collide with the Mercedes
US manufacturers hurt by Trump trade war; pound near three-year high against dollar – as it happened
Gina Rinehart helped Liberals raise nearly $400,000 at exclusive dinner that led to wrongful dismissal claim
Facebook and Instagram owner Meta to enable AI ad creation by end of next year
‘Humanity deserves better’: iPhone designer on new partnership with OpenAI
French Open: Bublik stuns Draper, Djokovic sees off Norrie – as it happened
Jack Draper stunned by Alexander Bublik in four-set defeat at French Open