I don’t think it can get any quicker and easier than this Baby Marrow and Ricotta Bake. In fact, it hardly requires much of a recipe. Simple, yet fresh and delicious ingredients layered, seasoned and baked to make a satisfying side dish or vegetarian main with some steamed couscous or bulgur.
All you need to do is slice some large baby marrows (also known as courgettes or zucchini), season them well and drizzle with some good extra virgin olive oil. Spoon a tin or two (if you want more sauce) chopped tomatoes on top and scatter some ricotta cheese over. Pop it in a hot oven and bake for about 40 minutes until the baby marrows are cooked through. Another drizzle of olive oil (an infused one if you have) and a sprinkle of dukkah and it is ready.
The dukkah adds texture and spiced flavour while the ricotta adds some rich creaminess to the dish. It will go really well with a roast chicken but I prefer it as a vegetarian meal on its own. Serve it with couscous or bulgur wheat to soak up some of the tomato sauce. And to top it all off the colour of the dish is just fantastic. You could use a chilli infused olive oil for the final drizzle for some added flavour.
As always, the better the ingredients, the better the final result. So don’t skimp on the quality of the baby marrows, ricotta and especially the tinned tomatoes. Enjoy!
Some good news to those readers who have asked, our next Food Photography Workshop will take place on Saturday the 23rd of September 2017. It falls on a long weekend so I hope it will make it easier to fit in with busy schedules. Our goal for the day is to create a space where we all can play, learn from each other and have a lot of fun doing it. Come be inspired, get creative, get more comfortable with your camera and most importantly play. All the details can be found here and do let me know if you would like to join us for the day at the most beautiful location.
Ingredients
- 800g large baby marrows
- Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (2 tins for more sauce)
- 200g ricotta
- few tablespoons dukkah
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C
- Slice the baby marrows lengthwise in half and place cut side up in a roasting tray
- Drizzle with olive oil and season very well
- Spoon the chopped tomatoes on top and scatter the ricotta cheese over the tomatoes
- Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes until the courgettes are cooked through
- Drizzle with some more olive oil (can used an infused oil), sprinkle with dukkah and serve
** Disclaimer: Olive oil provided by Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I am proud to be associated with Baleia Extra Virgin Olive Oil and use it whenever a recipe requires Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The South African cold press extra virgin Olive Oil is produced in the Riversdale area, has a whiff of fresh cut grass and aromas of green tomatoes, almonds artichokes and green apples.
A few more baby marrow recipes
Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto
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