We’ve got a couple of courgette plants growing in pots and thanks to the crazy weather (rain, sun, rain, sun) they’re doing pretty well*. So much so, that I seem to be cutting off a new courgette every day. It’s still the honeymoon period, so we’re enjoying courgette pasta and a little carbonara, but they’re quickly piling up and I can see us running out of ideas.
Enter this courgette strata: a strata is basically cubes of bread, vegetables and cheese baked in an eggy custard, sort of like a savoury bread and butter pudding. It’s really easy to make, great for feeding a crowd (I think it’s going on the Breakfast Club menu) and even if you’re not drowning in courgettes, a lovely summery dish. Have it for brunch with beans or a couple of sausages or for lunch with a green salad. You can also adapt it however you like, I’d add crispy chunks of bacon, spring onions or maybe a little feta.
I found the recipe on Simple Recipes, my adapted, anglicised version is below.
serves 8 (you can easily half the recipe for 4 people)
butter, for greasing
8 eggs
125g soured cream
100g grated parmesan or strong cheddar
1 tsp salt
2 courgettes, grated
4 tomatoes, chopped
small bunch basil, sliced
4 slices bread, cut into cubes
- Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a large, rectangular baking dish with plenty of butter.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl, then beat in the soured cream. Stir in the cheese, salt, courgettes, tomatoes, basil and bread.
- Tip the mixture into the baking dish and spread it out until fairly smooth.
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until it’s puffed up and golden and egg has just set.
Our little garden – courgette plants and herbs along the left and tomatoes and onions in the raised beds
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