Slow cooking courgettes brings out their natural sweetness, leaving them tender and juicy. In this recipe, we’re enhancing this with a ‘swicy’ hit of chilli and honey. Piling the sweet and spicy courgettes onto creamy, zesty ricotta, and ultimately a crunchy slice of sourdough. This makes a simple yet delicious lunch for two, or a starter for four as part of a Summertime Italian menu.
Slow-cooking courgettes for sweetness and a ‘swicy’ hit
Slow‑cooking courgettes is one of those small kitchen miracles: with a little patience and gentle heat, they collapse into something silky and jammy. Their natural sweetness concentrates as they soften. In this recipe, that sweetness gets a helping hand from chilli and honey – a little “swicy” lift that turns humble courgettes into something more exciting.
Slow-cooking is also a great way to use up a glut of courgettes, as they reduce in quantity very easily.
Contrasting textures and flavours
Spread over cool, creamy ricotta and lifted with lemon zest, the courgettes become the star of a beautifully balanced lunch. Pile everything onto a thick slice of toasted sourdough, and you’ve got that perfect trio of textures – crisp, creamy, jammy – with barely any effort. It’s the kind of Summertime dish you can throw together on a slow weekend or a busy weekday.
Growing courgettes
Courgettes are remarkably easy to grow in the UK and are perfect for beginner gardeners. They thrive in the British climate when planted after the last frost (typically late May or early June) and can produce abundant harvests from just two plants throughout the summer months, making them one of the most easiest and rewarding vegetables to plant at home.
Courgettes like a rich, well composted soil, and above all else constant watering – especially in hot weather – as plants can produce 1-2 courgettes per day which requires a lot of water. Ensure you regularly harvest the courgettes to encourage further production.
Other similar recipes
- Chickpeas and spinach with feta on toast
- Courgette and feta fritters
- Salad of warm vegetables, lentils & halloumi
This recipe, when adapted to be a starter, would serve 4 as part of a wider meal.
Stored separately, the ricotta mix and the slow-cooked courgettes will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. In fact, I think that the courgettes improve after a day in the fridge.
Jammy Courgettes and Ricotta on Sourdough
Equipment
- Spice grinder or pestle and mortar
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 600 g courgettes 2 large
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 slices of sourdough toasted
Instructions
- Heat a medium-large non-stick frying pan and toast the fennel seeds and chilli flakes over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the pan and crush in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
- Heat the oil in the same pan and add the chilli flakes and crushed fennel seeds, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the grated garlic, stirring for 1 minute, and finally the sliced courgettes. Cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally – make sure they don’t burn, but they brown and become ‘jammy’.
- In a bowl, stir the lemon zest into the ricotta, season, and set aside.
- Just before the courgettes are ready, season to taste and stir in the tablespoon of honey. Pop your sourdough slices under the grill to toast.
- Top the toasted sourdough with the ricotta mixture and finally the jammy courgettes. If you like things a little spicier, sprinkle on some extra chilli flakes before serving. You could also slice into fingers and serve as an ‘aperitivo’ if you wish.
Notes
- This dish is great for two as a lunchtime dish, served alongside a simply dressed green salad, or as a starter for an Italian Summertime menu.
- The cooked courgettes and the ricotta mix will both keep in the fridge for a couple of days. I even think the courgettes improve in flavour after a day.