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.