Courgettes and Tomatoes au Gratin
This is a very quick
and easy vegetarian supper dish for two people, especially good if you grow
your own tomatoes
and courgettes
and have a glut to use up. You could also serve it as a starter for four
people. Vegetarians might like to know that a vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
is available.
Serves : 2 – 4
Ingredients:
4 Medium Courgettes, sliced
but not peeled
4 Large Tomatoes,
skinned and sliced
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Clove Garlic,
crushed
4oz / 110g Mozzarella
or Cheddar Cheese,
cut into slices
4 Level tbsp Grated Parmesan
(Parmigiano Reggiano)
1 Level tbsp Fresh Torn Basil
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
Instructions:
- Pre-heat
the oven to Gas Mark 5 / 375°F / 190°C.
- 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.
- 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.
If
you would like to make a donation to help me keep this site going