Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil for the pasta and at the same time, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the basil stalks, garlic, anchovy and chilli flakes.

Cook until fragrant then add the sliced zucchini.

Sauté on a gentle heat until the zucchini starts breaking down, almost getting caught on the bottom – remember to stir frequently. While this is happening your water should be boiling so throw in the pasta – if using a thick spaghetti the cook time is often about 12-13 minutes so this will time really well with the sauce. If you’re using a faster cooking shape, consider letting the zucchini cook for a little longer before adding the pasta if it’s not broken down enough.

Add 1/2 cup starchy pasta water to the zucchini and continue cooking in a low heat, stirring occasionally. You may season to taste with salt at this point.

When the pasta is about a minute under al dente, remove the basil stalks and garlic (if desired) from the sauce before adding the basil leaves, very al dente pasta, another 1/2 cup of pasta water – continue cooking the pasta for a minute.

Add 40g of the grated parmigiano and toss to emulsify this with the sauce – you should have a creamy sauce comprised of the broken down zucchini, starchy pasta water and cheese.

Serve with the remaining parmi!