Courgette Cannellini Bean Stew With Focaccia Croutons & Ricotta
Courgette Cannellini Bean Stew With Focaccia Croutons & Ricotta
You can make this as simple or as fancy as you like. I like to crisp up the herbs to top the stew or for speed, you can chop them in when you fry the onions. The pistou (herby salsa) is a nice way to use up leftover herbs and adds that boost of flavour at the end. A dream dinner for a weekday or even vamped up for a dinner party. You choose! I bought a focaccia and roasted some cube slices with olive oil.
Looking for more veggie recipes? Check out my others here!
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, diced
100ml white wine
1 tbsp tomato purée
160g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp dried oregano
660g courgettes, (about 5 small), cut into 1cm circles
800ml hot vegetable stock
Zest 1 lemon and squeeze of 1/3 lemon
120g baby spinach
200g cooked cannellini beans
150g ricotta
Salt and pepper
For the crispy herbs:
3 tbsp olive / sunflower oil
1 handful rosemary leaves
1 handful sage leaves
For the pistou:
30g basil and mint leaves
70ml extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze lemon juice
1/3 garlic clove, grated
Croutons of your choice!
For the pistou, add the ingredients to a blender and mix for 20 secs until smooth.
Set a frying pan to a medium to high heat and add 3 tbsp oil. Add sage and rosemary leaves to fry for 2mins or until crisped up. Lay on paper towel.
Set a large saucepan to a medium to high heat and add 4 spoons of olive oil followed by the onion, leek and carrot. Fry for 6 mins to soften. Add garlic and cook for 2 mins. Pour over the wine and simmer for 2mins.
Then add purée, tomatoes, courgette, oregano and stock. Bring to the boil and then to a simmer for 15mins. Squash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season everything well and add croutons!
Mix in spinach, beans, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Serve with spoons of ricotta, the pistou drizzled over and the crispy herbs.
Watch me make the recipe here!