I'm not sure whether an Italian would recognise this dish, but it feels very Italian to me in both ingredients and spirit.
This dish was inspired by some excellent bread (bought at Herne Hill farmers' market). The toppings are deliberately chosen to let the taste of the bread show through - I didn't want any flavours that would dominate, like roasted tomatoes or olives or garlic. I was using a walnut sourdough bread, and courgettes also go really well with walnuts, but you could make this dish with any quality loaf.
Courgettes are in abundance at this time of year. This dish seems just right for a summer's day or evening - as a starter, a light lunch, or even a more substantial meal if you have a couple of slices and maybe a salad on the side.
Ingredients
4 slices of good-quality rustic bread (I used a wholemeal sourdough with walnuts)
2-3 medium courgettes
2 tbsp flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 ball mozzarella, about 125g
Method
Slice the courgettes lengthways into strips - you should get about 4-5 strips per courgette. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat, then add the courgettes - you shouldn't need any oil. You may need to do them in more than one batch, depending on the size of your griddle pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on the first side, until softened and well marked with black stripes, then turn with a spatula and cook for 2-3 minutes on the second side.
Set aside and keep warm while you toast the bread on the griddle pan until lightly striped with black. Top each slice with several pieces of grilled courgettes, some flatleaf parsley and a few pieces of mozzarella. Season to taste. If you want the cheese to be melted, pop under a hot grill for a minute or two.
Variation: Use your favourite mushrooms, fried in a little butter or olive oil, instead of the courgettes. Or try a soft goats' cheese instead of mozzarella.
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