Courgettes In Two Sweet Ways

Courgettes are surprisingly versatile in sweet recipes, adding moisture, a delicate flavour and a soft texture. One popular option is sweet courgette fritters, where grated courgette is mixed with flour, eggs, a little sugar and cinnamon before being fried until golden. Served with honey, a sprinkle of caster sugar for texture, or just a dusting of icing sugar, they make a light dessert or indulgent breakfast. They are popular in Romania and we call them: chiftelute de dovlecei.

This recipe brings me to another way of preparing a dessert with courgettes: Scarpaccia di Zucchine, a rustic cake from Tuscany, Italy. It stood out when I read Giulia Scarpaleggia’s new book ‘Vegetables, The Italian Way’ Unlike savoury versions of scarpaccia, the sweet variety combines thinly sliced courgettes with flour, sugar, milk and flavourings such as vanilla, lemon zest or anise. The mixture is baked into a thin cake with a lightly crisp surface and a tender interior. The courgettes provide natural sweetness and moisture, creating a unique dessert that reflects the Italian tradition of making the most of seasonal produce.

I’ve written both recipes here so you can enjoy courgettes this season both ways: the Romanian and the Italian way.

Scarpaccia di Zucchine from Giulia Scarpaleggia’s new book ‘Vegetables The Italian Way’

Ingredients:

Serves 8 to 12

Softened butter, for the baking pan

5 tablespoons/60 g turbinado sugar

1/2 cup/120 ml whole milk

4 tablespoons/60 g unsalted butter

9 ounces/255 g zucchini (about 1 medium)

1 large egg

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon/100 g all-purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon/80 g granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon, preferably organic

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Powdered sugar, for serving

Method:

Position oven racks in the lower third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line the bottom of an 8- to 9-inch/20 to 23 cm round baking pan with parchment paper. Generously butter the parchment paper and the sides of the pan and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the turbinado sugar. This will ensure the cake has golden, caramelized edges.

Warm the milk and unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Slice the zucchini crosswise into very thin slices about 46 inches/2 mm thick. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the egg and the cooled-down milk mixture. Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Stir well until you get a smooth and creamy batter with no lumps. Add the zucchini and basil

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level it with a spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar.

Transfer the cake to the lower rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Move to the middle rack, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/175°C, and bake until golden brown, firm, and slightly springy to the touch, 40 to 50 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate, peel off the parchment paper, then invert the cake again onto a serving plate to cool completely.

When the scarpaccia is cool, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and serve. It keeps for a couple of days at room temperature on the counter.

Sweet Courgette Fritters from Irina Georgescu’s Eastern European Dessert Book ‘Tava’