It is the end of summer and my garden and, more to the point – my daughters gardens – summer vegetables are ready to be harvested. Although I have got wiser about the number of courgette plants that need to be planted each year I still seem to engage in a constant quest to come up with new ways to cook them.
Today I am feeling the squeeze (muffin top jeans), a worthy result of a wonderful summers entertainment with so many very good friends, but it means today I am looking for a lighter dinner option.
I need to point out that the photos I have taken today are of a half batch of the recipe that follows. This worked well but if you are feeding a family or would like leftovers for lunch or dinner tomorrow go ahead and make it as the recipe is written.
A LIGHTER SUMMER ZUCCHINI CANNELLONI RECIPE
Serves 4 – 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 large courgettes (more if smaller)
- 1 kg cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 50 grams Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 100 grams pine nuts (optional)
- Small bunch of fresh basil (or 1 tsp dry basil)
- 1 spring onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon for zest only
- 1 x 400gm jar of tomato sauce (I like Arrabbiata sauce as it has a little chilli bite ) – or your own favourite pasta type sauce or homemade sauce/salsa
Begin by lightly toasting your pine nuts.
Next make your cottage cheese filling/topping in a large bowl ADD
- All the cottage cheese,
- 2 eggs
- Half the parmesan finely grated,
- Most of the basil finely sliced (save a couple of whole leaves to garnish if you like)
- Half the pine nuts (save half to garnish)
- Finely sliced spring onion
- Finely grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Salt and pepper
- Ends of courgettes finely chopped
Mix well and taste to check seasoning add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Finely slice your courgettes length wise using a peeler or a mandolin.
Lay out five of these lengthwise overlapping, and put a couple of desert spoons of cottage cheese mix on top, roll up and lay in your baking dish.
Pour over tomato sauce
.
Pour over any remaining cottage cheese and grate over the last of the parmesan cheese.
Bake at approximately 180’c for 45 minutes
Ready to serve and enjoy.
