Courgette Zucchini And Ricotta Phyllo Parcels Food

COURGETTE & RICOTTA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the shallot and courgettes for 8 mins until softened. When they are just beginning to colour, add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the water. Tip the pasta into the courgette pan with the basil, lemon zest, Parmesan and pine nuts. Season, dot over the ricotta and mix gently so that you don't break it up too much. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan, if you like.

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

COURGETTE (ZUCCHINI) AND RICOTTA PHYLLO PARCELS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
• Finely grate the courgettes and place in a sieve over a bowl. Carefully squeeze out any excess water.
• Place the courgettes in a large bowl with the mint, ricotta cheese, eggs and lemon juice.
• Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut the phyllo pastry into large squares. Brush each sheet with butter and layer 4 sheets together.
• Spoon a little of the courgette mix into the centre of each phyllo square. Pull up each corner to form a parcel, twisting slightly to secure.
• Place on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter, and cook for 20 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Serve hot or cold with rocket salad. If serving cold, allow to cool completely before covering, otherwise they will soften.

COURGETTE & RICOTTA FRITTERS WITH POACHED EGGS & HARISSA YOGURT

Steps:

• Line a bowl with a clean cloth and add the courgette with a pinch of salt. Set aside for 30 mins, then use the cloth to squeeze out the excess liquid. Tip the courgette into a bowl with the ricotta, lemon zest, eggs and parmesan, then stir to combine. Fold in the flour and some seasoning.
• Stir the yogurt and harissa together in a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and spoon in six mounds of the courgette mixture. Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 mins each side until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat your grill to high, then cook the pancetta, if using, for 2-3 mins on each side until crisp.
• Bring a pan of water to the boil. Drizzle a little of the vinegar into a ramekin and crack an egg into it. Swirl the water in the pan with a wooden spoon to create a whirlpool in the middle, then gently tip the egg into it and simmer for 3 mins. Repeat with the second egg. Serve three fritters stacked on each plate, topped with an egg and three slices of pancetta, alongside a dollop of the harissa yogurt, then scatter over the herbs.

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

ROAST VEGETABLE FILO PARCELS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C. In a small bowl, mix together 1 tbsp of the dried sage and the ricotta cheese. Set aside in the fridge.
• Chop up the vegetables for roasting - the harder vegetables will take longer, so need to be smaller than the rest. Place in a large bowl and mix with the oil, 1 tbsp of dried sage and season well with salt and pepper.
• Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and rub around the inside of the roasting tin; put the garlic in with the rest of the vegetables and place everything in the roasting tin. Spread out evenly.
• Roast until soft - removing from the oven every 15 minutes to turn over to ensure even cooking - before removing from the oven and allowing to cool slightly whilst you work on the pastry. Remember to remove the garlic cloves and discard. Turn the oven up to 200C.
• Take 3 sheets of the filo pastry; spread the first out on clean, dry surface and brush lightly with some melted butter. Place the second sheet on top and repeat until you have three sheets stuck together. Cut in half; one half will form one parcel. Repeat until you have enough pastry prepared for six parcels.
• Remove the sage/ricotta mix from the fridge. Spread 1 tbsp of the mix in the centre of each sheet of filo; pile the roast vegetables on top of the cheese. Fold up the pastry to form parcels, using melted butter to seal the pastry. There may be left over vegetables which can be used as leftovers.
• Place the parcels on a baking tray (non-stick) and cook for 15 minutes - or until the pastry is golden brown.