If your garden is overflowing with courgettes in summer, this is one recipe I think you need to make. It is simple to put together, makes good use of a couple of courgettes, and has become one of my favourite things to make when they are in season.
I was inspired by the French cake salé, a savoury loaf that can be made with all sorts of different ingredients. I wanted to make my own version with courgettes, ricotta, Parmesan, lemon, garlic and fresh basil. The ricotta keeps the loaf soft and tender, while the Parmesan adds plenty of savoury flavour and creates a lovely golden, cheesy crust on top. The lemon and basil keep everything fresh, so even with the cheese, it doesn’t feel too heavy.
The most important part of this recipe is squeezing as much liquid as possible from the grated courgettes. Courgettes contain a surprising amount of water, and if you leave too much behind, it can make the loaf heavy and damp in the middle. I like to salt the grated courgettes and leave them for about 10 minutes before squeezing them really well in a clean tea towel or muslin cloth.
Once the courgettes are ready, everything comes together very quickly. The ricotta, eggs, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon, garlic and basil are mixed together before the flour and baking powder are added, followed by the courgettes. A little extra Parmesan over the top gives it a beautifully golden crust as it bakes.
I love this served slightly warm, either on its own or alongside a simple salad. It also makes a lovely lunch or something to have ready in the fridge for an easy slice whenever you want one. The flavour is savoury, fresh and cheesy, with the courgette running through the whole loaf.
