Courgette Bake

This cheesy vegetable bake is a great way to include courgettes as a side dish.

Zucchini and courgettes are the same vegetable. They have the best flavour before they get too big. They can be quite prolific in the garden and need to be prepared in various ways to prevent becoming bored with them.

I make this recipe when they are in season, and I grate the surplus and freeze them for later in the year. It’s a simple yet effective method that stocks me year-round with courgettes. After grating, I portion the courgettes into Ziploc bags—about one courgette per bag—flatten them for easy stacking and pop them into the freezer. This way, they’re ready to go whenever I want to make this, even when courgettes are out of season. It’s a great way to preserve the garden’s bounty and ensure that no courgette goes to waste.

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium courgettes, coarsely grated
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup of grated cheese
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Beat eggs lightly.
2. Lightly mix in the courgettes, onion, cheese, flour, baking powder, oil, and seasoning (that is, everything else except for the tomatoes).
3. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish.
4. Pour half the mixture into the disk. Add a layer of tomatoes, cover with the mixture, and decorate the top with tomatoes.
5. Bake 180 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch.

Serve warm. This is tasty with tomato relish.