Le Zucchine

Method:

A tender frittata with plenty of courgettes

This is a generous vegetable frittata for four, lovely for lunch with salad and bread or cut into smaller squares for the table. Allow about 55 minutes, including a short rest. The courgettes cook in the oven first, so their water evaporates and their flavour becomes sweeter before they meet the eggs. Everything is baked; there is no frying and no awkward plate-flipping manoeuvre.

Roast the courgettes

Heat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan. Trim the courgettes and slice them into rounds about 4 mm thick. Spread them on a large baking tray lined with baking parchment, toss with the olive oil and a little salt and pepper, and arrange as close to a single layer as possible.

Roast for 18–22 minutes, turning once, until tender and lightly coloured at the edges. If there is liquid on the tray, leave it behind when lifting out the courgettes. Let them cool for five minutes so they will not start cooking the eggs as soon as they are mixed.

Mix and bake

Reduce the oven to 180°C, or 160°C fan. Line a 24 cm baking dish with fresh baking parchment, pressing it into the sides. Whisk the eggs just until the whites and yolks combine, then stir in the Parmesan, torn basil and a little pepper. Add salt cautiously, remembering the cheese and seasoned vegetables.

Fold in the courgettes, pour into the dish and distribute the slices evenly. Bake on the middle shelf for 20–25 minutes. The centre should be set without liquid egg when tested with a small knife, while the surface is only lightly golden. If necessary, give it a few more minutes; do not chase a dark crust at the expense of a tender middle.

Rest and serve

Rest in the dish for five minutes before lifting out with the paper and cutting into wedges. Serve warm, or let it cool a little while you dress a tomato salad. The basil should remain a gentle companion to the courgettes. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, use within two days, and try a slice in a bread roll for an easy lunch the next day.