Cheesy Courgette And Tomato Bake Food

CHEESY COURGETTE GRATIN | SLIMMING & WEIGHT WATCHERS FRIENDLY

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC.
• Spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the onions and garlic until soft. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, and then pour into the bottom of an oven dish and spread out into an even layer.
• Arrange the sliced courgette, potato and tomato in an alternating pattern on top of the onion layer, overlapping the slices slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
• Mix the cream cheese and thyme into the stock and pour over the courgette, potato and tomato layer. It won't look like much but once the vegetables start cooking they will add to the liquid.
• Pop the oven dish in the oven for 35 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven, the vegetables should be soft and just starting to turn golden. Mix the Cheddar and Parmesan together and sprinkle over the courgette, tomato and potato.
• Put back in the oven for a further 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the vegetables cooked through.

BAKED COURGETTE & TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the courgettes with a pinch of sea salt flakes and lay them on a plate with another plate on top. Put a weight or tin on top to help push out the liquid.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook over a medium heat, stirring, for 5 mins until thickened. Tear in the basil, if using, and season.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and oil a roasting dish. Combine the flours in a bowl. Pour away the water from the courgette. Dip the courgette slices into the egg, then into the flour, and arrange in a layer over the bottom of the dish. Top with a few slices of mozzarella, followed by a layer of the tomato sauce, and repeat with another layer of courgette, mozzarella and sauce. Toss the cheese and breadcrumbs together, then scatter over the top.
• Drizzle with a little more olive oil, and bake for 40-45 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve with a herby red onion salad and some bread to mop it up, if you like. Can be frozen for up to two months.

CHEESY BAKED COURGETTES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Use a teaspoon to scoop the seeds from the middle of each courgette half, then place them in a large baking tray.
• Mix together the ricotta, zest, chilli and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Pile the stuffing into the courgettes and top with breadcrumbs. Bake for 35 mins until the courgettes are tender and the topping is golden and crisp.

CHEESE & TOMATO PASTA BAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, wide pan or wok, then stir-fry the peppers for 5 mins. Add the chopped garlic and mushrooms, and cook for 5 mins more.
• Pour in the passata and stock, then stir in the oregano, olives and courgettes with plenty of black pepper. Leave to simmer, stirring frequently, for 10-15 mins until the vegetables are just tender and the sauce has reduced a little. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions.
• To make the cheese sauce, pour the milk into a large pan and add the butter, flour, nutmeg and seasoning. Heat, stirring or whisking all the time until smooth and thickened. Stir in half the cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce.
• Drain the pasta and add to the tomato mixture. Pile into 2 or 3 baking dishes, pack down well, then pour over the cheese sauce (it helps to let the sauce cool and thicken a little before using so that it stays as a layer). Scatter with the remaining cheese and the bread.
• If eating now, bake at 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 for 40 mins until bubbling and golden. Serve with a salad.