Slow-cooked courgettes - sweet, tender, and slightly spicy. Piled onto creamy ricotta and a crunchy slice of sourdough. A simple yet elegant Summertime lunch dish.
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.