Courgette Tarragon Thyme Galette Food

COURGETTES AND TOMATOES AU GRATIN

Steps:

• If you have the time, salt, drain and dry the sliced courgettes: layer them in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt, and place a suitably sized plate on top. Weigh this down with a heavy object (like scale weights) and after 30 minutes quite a bit of water will have been drawn out. Dry them really thoroughly in a clean cloth and then they're ready to cook. Heat the oil in a frying pan large enough to hold the courgettes in one layer (otherwise do them in two batches), add the crushed garlic and sauté the courgette slices to a nice golden colour on each side. Next arrange layers of courgettes, cheese slices and sliced tomatoes in a heatproof gratin dish so that they overlap each other slightly like slates on a roof. You can watch how to skin tomatoes in our Cookery School Video. Finally sprinkle on the grated Parmesan, basil and salt and freshly milled pepper. Then bake on a high shelf in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve this with lots of crusty bread and a green salad with a sharp lemony dressing.

SUMMER COURGETTE & TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 6 mins, then drain well.
• Mix the garlic with the oil and some seasoning. Strip the herb leaves from their stalks, then add to the oil. Drizzle a little of the oil over the base and sides of a 1.5-litre ovenproof dish. Layer half the potatoes, tomatoes and courgettes in the dish, drizzling with garlic and herb oil as you go. Mix the two cheeses and sprinkle half over the veg.
• Repeat the layers of veg and oil, drizzle over the remaining oil, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake for 40-45 mins until the veg is tender and the top golden and crisp.

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.