ofm top twenty: courgette, feta, pea and mint flatbreads

this allegra mcevedy recipe, which is part of the ofm top twenty , is described as a good option for lunch, or even a packed lunch. easy cooking and easy eating, apparently. i made them for brunch today and think they would be good at any time of day. not that the recipe was perfect, that would be too easy!

so, how did i get on?

the starting point is griddle your courgette wedges, having rolled them in a mix of olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped garlic. this was fine but the bits of garlic didn t really stick to the courgette very well and where they did they tended to char and then burn with the heat of the griddle. i also ended up with quite a lot of garlic and oil left so i used this in place of the extra oil the recipe called for, with the feta and yoghurt mix the extra garlic went in here as well, adding an extra hint of pungent flavours.

everything else was fairly straightforward and it s more of an assembly job, rather than cooking proper.

the final verdict:

would i have tried this recipe if it hadn't been part of the ofm top twenty? no, it looks so simple you can't quite believe how good it will be

would i try this recipe again in the future? yes. i loved these little veggie flatbread rolls. the flavours are fresh and i love the combination of mashed peas mixed in with the feta to contrast with the hot, slightly charred courgettes. the mint, lemon and garlic also work really well. given the time of year, i'd also be keen to try a version with asparagus.

allegra mcevedy's grilled courgette, feta, pea and mint flatbreads (makes 2 filling wraps*)

1 courgette

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil**

3 cloves garlic, chopped***

salt and pepper

130g fresh peas (shelled weight) - but frozen are fine

80g feta cheese

80g greek yoghurt

very finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus a squeeze of juice

1 spring onion, sliced

2 flatbreads, the smaller size, white or wholemeal*

1 big cos lettuce leaf, or a couple of baby gem leaves

handful of mint leaves, washed

some chopped red chilli - quantity is a personal matter

get your griddle pan good and hot (or you can do it under the grill - timings should be just a little bit longer though). top and tail the courgette, slice it in half lengthways then cut each half into three very long triangular shaped batons* (elongated toblerones ... or something like that). gently give them a roll in half the olive oil, seasoning and the chopped garlic.

lay them on the griddle, loosely cover with a piece of foil and cook for four minutes before turning them over and doing the same on the other side (you only need to cook them on the two cut sides - no need to griddle the skin side, which tends to burn more easily).

if you have fresh peas, fill a small pan with salted water and bring to a rolling boil - four minutes is plenty - then drain. now, whether using fresh or frozen, run a masher over the peas a few times to break them up a bit. stir in the rest of the oil with some seasoning.

in a bowl mush the feta into the yoghurt. stir in the peas, lemon zest, spring onion and some seasoning. if your flatbread is not the freshest, soften it in the oven for a minute or two, then lay on the lettuce, then the feta mix, grilled courgette, mint leaves, lemon juice and a bit of chopped chilli if you are using it. try to roll it up good and tight - it makes a difference to the pleasure of the eating.

*as suggested i used small wraps and actually made 4; i had to halve the courgette batons to ensure they would fit. this was ample of two of us, as a light meal.

** i think half this amount of sufficient

*** i would use less, crush it into a paste and add it to the feta and yoghurt mix