Courgettes appetizer

Every time I cook an interesting meat or fish based main meal, I also think on which vegetables should I accompany it with. Let’s face it: potatoes are almost always in the list in one way or another; therefore, I try to get different vegetables on the plate too and I very often end up with the beautiful summery courgettes appetizer or zucchine.

I shall never understand why children, at least my children, didn't appreciate courgettes very much when they were little. I just waited patiently, offering to them anyway, until they became young adults to appreciate the enormous change in their tastes: now, they devour courgettes in one go like I’d ever thought it could have ever happened!

And this simple recipe will show you exactly this sort of evolution.

Provare per credere aka Seeing it to believe it!

Baked courgettes appetizer

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Good To Know

Did you know that courgettes come from North and Central America? And that they belong to the family of squashes? Originally, like 7000 years ago, they didn’t have the shape and size they have now. The courgettes we know today were bred in the 19th century in northern Italy. In the early 20th century, some Italian immigrants reintroduced courgettes back to North America. That’s why courgettes are also known worldwide with the Italian name “zucchine” rather than the French "courgettes".

Courgettes are rich in potassium, Vitamins A, C, B6 and its skin is also a good source of fibre.

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Ingredients 4-6 servings

1. Courgettes, 6

2. Extra virgin olive oil, half glass

3. Bread crumbs, 100 g

4. Pecorino cheese, 50 g

5. Parmesan cheese, 50 g

6. Oregano, 2-3 tbsp

7. Garlic, 1 clove, crushed

8. Salt and pepper

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Let’s jump to the method

1. Get ready all the ingredients.

2. Switch the oven on at 200° C.

3. Put the bread crumbs in a medium size bowl.  Add the grated pecorino,  the grated parmesan, the oregan, the crushed garlic, salt and pepper.

4. Add the olive oil as well and mix all together until the ingredients are combined. Put apart.

5. Wash thoroughly the courgettes. Dry them with a clean kitchen cloth.

6. Cut them in rounds about 1/2 cm thin. If you prefer, you can cut them in sticks long approx. 5cm and thick 1cm.

7. Now, add the courgettes to the bowl with the bread crumb mixture and gently mix together.

8. Prepare an oven tray with baking paper.

9. Line each courgettes dipped with the bread crumb mixture on the oven tray. If any bread mixture is left, don't waist it: add it too.

10. Drizzle with olive oil.

11. Bake it for about 15-20 minutes until the crumbs are golden.

12. Serve courgettes as an appetizer or as a side in your main dish.

13. Buon appetito!

Courgettes appetizer