Ingredients for the couscous (serves 4):

• 250g of couscous
• 1 tablespoon of Pantaleo Gold Selection olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of turmeric (optional)
• Pepper to taste
• 200g boiling water

Ingredients for the courgette pesto (serves 4):

• 500 g zucchini/courgettes
• 7 tablespoons of Pantaleo Gold Selection olive oil
• approx. 13 mint leaves
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 30g Pecorino romano cheese
• 60g peeled almonds
• Salt to taste

Making the courgette, mint and almond mix

Put the couscous, salt, turmeric, ground pepper and Pantaleo Gold Selection olive oil in a bowl.
Using a fork, mix the couscous in with all the other ingredients until well amalgamated, then pour the boiling water over it uniformly.
Cover with a lid and let the couscous absorb all the liquid, without stirring, which takes about 15 minutes or so.
Cut the courgettes into 1cm cubes and put them in a bowl, add 3 finely-chopped mint leaves, a couple of pinches of salt and two tablespoons of Pantaleo Gold Selection olive oil and mix thoroughly.
Heat a non-stick frying pan and add the courgettes.
Sauté over a high flame, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, turn off the gas and transfer half of the courgettes into a blender, with the mint and basil leaves, pecorino, almonds (keep some to one side for decoration), 5 tablespoons of Pantaleo Gold Selection olive oil, and blend everything.
Take the couscous, which in the meantime will have doubled in volume, season it with the pesto, add the cubes of courgette and whole almonds.
If you like, drizzle over some Pantaleo Gold Selection olive oil.