Meat Free Monday

Today’s Meat Free Monday dish is from one of my favourite food writers, Nigel Slater. He was writing about his glut of home grown courgettes in last Sunday’s Observer and offered this delicious light and fresh recipe to readers. Of course, courgettes have another name in the US – zucchini…

Courgette, tomato and ricotta bake

500g courgettes
olive oil
5 spring onions
750g tomatoes
a handful of basil leaves
250g ricotta

Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Remove the stalks from the courgettes then slice them down their length into strips as thick as a pound coin. Brush them lightly with olive oil and grill them on both sides until tender. Remove and season with salt and black pepper and, if you wish, a little more oil.

Layer the tomato sauce and the courgettes in a shallow baking dish, crumbling in the ricotta as you go. Trickle with olive oil and bake till the tomato sauce is bubbling.