$5 Friday: Zesty Avocado Spaghetti

I love a good avocado smashed on hot toast with freshly ground pepper on top. I also like it when it is on special, which it often is at the end of winter.  Making the most of a glut of avocados in my fruit bowl, I often like to make this avocado pasta dish.

This pasta dish may seem simple (and it is – only three main ingredients for the sauce) but it is deceptively tasty (and cheap).  It is also quick and easy to make.  I made it for my Dad this week while he was visiting. “Oh, this is good!” he said as he tucked into it in record speed.  Try it and you will see why.  Enough said.

I purchased Australian avocados from ALDI.  This week they are $2.49 but only recently they were on special for only $1.49.  The smaller ones sold in a bag are even cheaper. Keep your eyes out for specials and you can make this dish even more inexpensively than what I have budgeted for..

Ingredients:

500g thin spaghetti
1 large avocado (or two small avocados)
1/3 cup (plus) plain yoghurt
Zest of half a lemon
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until al dente.  (I tend to get distracted by the kids antics, so I often set the oven timer based on the suggested timing on the packet – it is rarely wrong.)

   

2. Meanwhile, cut open the avocado and scoop the flesh into a bowl.  Mash.

   

   

3. Stir a generous 1/3 cup (or more) of plain yoghurt

   

4. Grate in the zest of a lemon, then add salt and pepper.  (Hint: after juicing lemons, put them into a plastic bag and freeze – they are actually easier to grate when frozen then fresh, but you might need a teatowel to prevent cold hands.)

   

5. Spoon the sauce over hot spaghetti and serve.

Cost:

500g pasta (ALDI) – 85c
1 large avocado (ALDI) – $2.49
1/3 cup (generous) homemade yogurt – $0.40
Lemon rind – $0.20
Salt/pepper

$3.94