Recipe: Pea and courgette soup with cheese straws

Pea and courgette soup with cheese straws. Try this simple, delicious and nutritious homemade vegetable soup for the chilliest autumn days.

INGREDIENTS (4 serves)

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, finely diced

3 medium courgettes

Finely grated zest and juice of ½ a lemon

300 g (10½oz) peas

1 .2 litres (2 pints) hot vegetable stock

A small handful of mint leaves

6 tbsp single cream

For the Cheddar straws

350 g (12 oz) pack ready-rolled puff pastry

6 tbsp finely grated Cheddar cheese

2 tsp smoked paprika

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Warm a large pan over a medium heat. Add the butter and onion and fry for 10 minutes. Grate the courgettes and place 4 tbsp in a bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Set aside. In a pan, stir-fry the peas and remaining courgettes for 2-3 minutes. Add stock and onion and bring to boil. Cook for 10-12 minutes and remove from heat. Shred the mint leaves and add to the pan with the cream. Blend until smooth and season. Return to the heat. Unroll the pastry, scatter over half the cheese and paprika, then fold in half. On a floured surface, roll to the thickness of a coin. Cut 1cm (½in) strips, then twist these 3-4 times. Lay on a baking sheet, scatter the remaining cheese and paprika over and bake for 12 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls with the courgettes. Serve with the cheese straws.