Mediterranean courgettes recipe
I was never a fan of courgette as a child, and even now I’m not keen if it’s overcooked. Having it spiralised as courgette is delicious though and I’ll happily eat away on that raw with my bolognese.
But my favourite way of cooking courgettes has to be my Mediterranean courgettes bake (or mediterranean courgette gratin). Adding tomato, cheese and herbs has to be divine. Even the OH likes it and he always moans about my cooking (it’s actually pretty good, it’s just he gets bored of eating the same things – not helped by him not giving me suggestions of what he would like).
But the Mediterranean courgette bake. It’s got veg, it’s got flavour and it’s delicious. We have it with chicken usually, but it would also go with pork, or even cod or salmon. I’m still working on N trying it, but he’s not keen on courgette like I wasn’t. I’ve tried telling him it’s like a less watery version of cucumber which he loves but no go.
Anyway, I think of this Mediterranean courgette dish as similar to potato dauphinoise but without the cream and high fat content. The similarity is with the layering. But adding seasoning, tomatoes, cheese and garlic for a mediterranean flavour.
You could say it’s a bit like a courgette pizza with the flavours. In fact, call it that and your children may also try it (N wouldn’t!).
This dish goes really well with chicken, pork, and obviously pasta dishes. But we had it with salmon the other day and it tasted great with that too.
I just pile it into a vegetables dish, but you could opt for individual portions and either serve them with towers of courgette discs, or put them in a round rosti shape ‘tin’.
Mediterranean Courgettes
Italian flavoured courgettes, perfect with meat or fish.
Ingredients
- 2 Courgettes meium
- 0.5 tub Tomato sauce (homemade, passata or a tomato and basil pasta sauce
- Olive oil (or garlic infused olive oil)
- 1 clove Garlic crushed
- 1 tsp dried basil
- parmesan cheese grated
- black pepper ground
Instructions
Slice the courgette (on a slant or straight rounds)
Start layering in a small oven proof dish – start with a layer of courgette, drizzle ligthly with oil, sprinkle over black pepper, (and garlic if not using garlic oil), dollop on tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, then repeat until you finish with a layer of cheese
Bake in the over at 180C or 160C fan for around 30 minutes until the cheese has melted
Serve alongside meat, fish or pasta dishes
Recipe Notes
The recipe can be made bigger or smaller depending on the number of people.
Garlic – you can use fresh cloves (crushed), or garlic powder. Athough I tend to just use garlic infued oil.
Any hard cheese can be used – parmesan or grana padano are good, although cheddar works just as well
Mediterranean courgettes gratin really is a delicious side dish, and something a bit different to plain vegetables.
How do you cook your courgettes?
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