The most amazing vegan side dish or main! Hasselbacked courgettes baked in a smoky harissa and tomato sauce, topped with crispy croutons and fresh herbs. Delicious!
Prep Time30minutes
Cook Time1hour15minutes
Total Time1hour45minutes
Servings4servings
Ingredients
4courgettes
2tbspolive oil
1onionfinely diced
2garlic clovesminced
1.5tspsmoked paprika
500gpassata
1.5tbspharissa paste
1tspdried oregano
1tspsugar
400g canbutterbeansdrained & rinsed
75gstale white crusty breadroughly chopped
to serve: chopped parsley, zest of 1 lemon
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°c (fan assisted)/390°f/gas 6.
Lay each courgette down on a chopping board and place a chopstick or wooden spoon on either side. Make cuts, about a 1/2cm apart, into the courgette, being careful not to chop all the way through. Transfer into a large ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook 8-10 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt and cook for a further minute or so, just to soften.
Add the passata, harissa paste, dried oregano, sugar and 200ml of water into the pan. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Let the pan bubble gently for 15 minutes, until thickened. Stir through the butterbeans, then taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
Pour the tomato sauce over top of the courgette, making sure the cuts of the courgette are facing up. Sprinkle over the bread, pushing it slightly into the tomato sauce, then bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the courgettes are soft all the way through. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley, lemon zest and a grind of black pepper.