Herby Courgette & Tomato Gratin (Zucchini Al Forno)

Herby Courgette & Tomato Gratin (Zucchini Al Forno)

I love this summery recipe for a Herby Courgette & Tomato Gratin (Zucchini Al Forno). It's light, full of summer vegetables and finished with a whipped Garlic Boursin.

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French, Italian Inspired

Servings: servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
400 g cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic finely sliced
½ bunch of basil finely sliced
8 courgettes a variety of colours ideally but any will work
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
6 large ripe tomatoes
150 g Garlic and Herb Boursin at room temperature

For the whipped Boursin:

150 g Garlic and Herb Boursin
100 ml double cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C Fan. Set out an oven-proof serving dish - I use a 25.5cm (10-inch) pie dish but you could use a roasting tin or any other similar-sized dish with high-ish sides.
Make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cherry tomatoes, season well and cook for 3 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst. Using the back of a wooden spoon, break them down to form a sauce. Add the sliced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.
Tip into your serving dish and sprinkle with the sliced basil. Set aside.
Using a mandoline, thinly slice the courgettes. Tip into a large mixing bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle in the freshly plucked thyme leaves from the sprigs. Use your hands to coat the slices with the oil and seasoning.
Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the tomatoes, place into a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To assemble, carefully arrange 2 rows of courgette slices. Spread some of the Garlic and Herb Boursin onto the tomato slices before adding a neat row next to the courgette. Repeat, alternating between 2 rows of courgette, followed by 1 row of Garlic and Herb Boursin-spread tomato, until you have filled your dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for about 35 minutes or until softened and golden.
Meanwhile, make the whipped Boursin: place the Boursin and double cream into a food processor and blitz for about 1 minute - or until smooth and creamy. Spoon into a bowl.
Once the gratin is cooked, remove from the oven and garnish with a few dollops of the whipped boursin, some fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of fresh pesto.
Serve with hot crusty bread, the remaining whipped boursin and a fresh green salad. Enjoy!
The video below will help with this recipe.

Video

Notes

Scroll up for a simple step by step guide with images to help you make this gratin.

To store: leave the dish to cool completely before covering and chilling in the fridge for up to 3 days. It reheats well in the oven. You can also keep any leftover whipped Boursin - it is delicious on bruschetta or stirred through pasta.

To reheat: Reheat in the oven at 170c for 5-10 minutes until hot all the way through. Or heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot.

To freeze: I wouldn't recommend freezing this recipe as neither the Boursin nor the raw veggies freeze very well.

Make ahead: You could arrange the dish pre baking. Cover and chill up to a day in advance then bake when you are ready to eat. The Boursin cream can be made 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

Mandolin safety: When using a mandolin, always follow the relevant safety procedures. Make sure what you are cutting has a flat surface and wear a hand guard at all times. If you prefer not to use a mandolin, slice very thinly using a sharp knife or use the slicing attachment on your food processor.

Vegetarian friendly: If making this dish for vegetarians make sure your pesto doesn’t contain Parmesan.

Make it plant based: You can make this recipe suitable for vegans by using Boursin Plant-Based, a vegan-friendly double cream and making your own fresh vegan pesto. You could make it without the Boursin and whipped Boursin, if you like.

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