For a simple and versatile Spring dish, try Petersham Nurseries’ delicious vegetarian recipe for ‘La Goccia’
IMAGE: PETERSHAM NURSERIES
These courgettes can be served hot or cold, and you can swap the pesto out for salsa verde, or an olive tapendade.
While the recipe calls for a wood-fired oven, the courgettes can be oven roasted and if you can’t find the specific types of basil, lemon and olive oil stated here, just use the best you can get hold of.
Petersham Nurseries Wood-Roasted Courgettes with Pesto Genovese
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 10 small courgettes
- Sprinkle chilli flakes
- Pinch Maldon sea salt
- Zest of 1 Amalfi lemon
- Picked mint and basil
For the pesto
- 100 g Genovese basil
- 30 g toasted pine nuts
- 10 g Pecorino, grated
- 10 g Parmesan, grated
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 50 ml Zisola olive oil
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts until lightly golden brown.
- Pick and wash the basil.
- Ideally using a pestle and mortar, begin to pound the pine nuts, garlic and salt until a paste formed, add the basil and cheese and continue until this begins to resemble pesto, loosening with olive oil as you do so. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Take the courgettes and cut in half, lengthways, score across the cut side with a small knife and lay cut side up on a tray.
- Brush the courgettes with olive oil, and gently season with the sea salt, sprinkle some chilli flakes and the zest of the lemon.
- If you don’t have access to a wood oven, these courgettes can be cooked in a fan assisted oven, at about 220 degrees for 5-6 minutes, or in a BBQ with a lid.
- When the courgettes are cooked they should be lightly charred around the edges whilst still retaining some texture.
- To serve, simple spread a little pesto over the courgettes, finish with some picked basil and mint and a light squeeze of Amalfi lemon juice.
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