Courgette, spinach and brown bread ‘panzanella’

Courgette, spinach and brown bread ‘panzanella’. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 4
Course: lunch
Cooking Time: 45 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 4 small courgettes
  • Half loaf of dark brown bread (about 4 good slices)
  • 1 tin of chickpeas
  • 50mls olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 bag of baby spinach (200g), washed
  • For the dressing:
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 mandarin orange
  • 50mls olive oil
  • 50mls sunflower oil
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
  • Salt and pepper

1 Set the oven to 190 degrees.

2 Top and tail the courgettes, then slice into half centimetre rounds, and put on a roasting tray.

3 Trim the crusts from the bread, tear into rough chunks and add to the courgettes.

4 Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat them dry and add to the mixture.

5 Add the olive oil, season and turn everything together to ensure it’s coated in the oil.

6 Put the tray in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once or twice, until everything is golden and crunchy.

7 When the courgette mixture is done, add the spinach to the tray as soon as it comes out of the oven. This will wilt the spinach.

8 Meanwhile, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together.

9 Add the dressing to the tray and gently fold everything together, season and spoon on to a platter. Serve at room temperature.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford