Its that time of year again when we have a glut of courgettes and as they don’t freeze well have no idea what to do with them.
Cheesy-Courgette Bread goes well with soups (esp onion!) Or as part of a ploughman’s lunch with cheese and/or ham, plus the usual pickles/mayo and a side salad.
Warning. This is delicious but very filling! Also the texture is more cake-like than breadish.
Ingredients: (see notes for variations)
- 200g GF self-raising flour (GF plain flour: add 4.5tsp baking powder + 1.5tsp xantham gum)
- 100g cornmeal/polenta (plus extra for dusting -optional)
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional)
- 3 beaten eggs
- 60g melted butter
- 300ml milk (see notes)
- 150gms grated cheese
- 2 large or 3 small courgettes (350g trimmed.)
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
- Olive oil for brushing
- Paprika (optional)
Method:
- Preheat oven 180c or gas mark 4
- Line a 24cm (10”) tin. (Loose based makes removal when cooling easier but not essential)
- Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well
- Add eggs and melted butter
- Add cheese
- Grate 180 grms of the courgette and add to mix (or all – see notes)
- Season well and spoon into the prepared baking tin
- Dust with added polenta meal (optional – adds a crunchy texture)
- Sprinkle with paprika (optional)
- Finely slice remaining courgette and lay slices on the top of the mix
- Dab slices with olive oil, using a brush
- Bake for 40 to 50 mins or until loaf is golden brown and springs back when pressed
- Leave to cool for 5 mins and then turn out to cool completely
Notes:
- Wheat flour works fine but may need less milk – and miss out the xantham gum!
- You can grate all of the courgette into the mix. (as in the picture – I used a white patty-pan squash which was rather drab as a topping) It does make the loaf a little denser and it may take a slightly longer cooking time. But it works fine and disguises the obvious courgetty-nature from those picky veg-haters! You can also use a summer squash such as patty-pan.
- Use dairy or oat milk for preference. Soy and nut milks can and do alter the flavour
- Always use a strong or even smoked cheddar. Courgettes absorb a lot of flavour!
- For a piquant mix (esp if leaving out the salt) a blue cheese will work well
- Vegan cheese will work but pick a really strong one (many are not – in which case add up mustard powder to one level teaspoon)
- To ring the changes replace the mustard with chopped rosemary or thyme
adapted from a recipe by Hannah Miles
Jan Edwards 