Name: Zucchini, ricotta and pea smash with warm flatbread
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Zucchini, ricotta & pea smash; 2 medium zucchinis, washed and pat-dried; Olive oil, for cooking; 1 cup fresh or frozen peas; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 teaspoon finely sliced green chillies; 200g ricotta; Salt and pepper, for seasoning; Zest of 1 lemon; Flatbread; 500g baker’s flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 20g dried yeast; 200g yoghurt; Water, if needed (I used approximately 1 tablespoon); 50ml olive oil

There are few foods I enjoy more than a plate of dips with some fluffy bread to smoosh through them. I’ve used the word ‘smoosh’ because it, along with ‘smash’ and many other descriptive words, has been added to our culinary lexicon by that modern-day Dickens, Jamie Oliver. For instance, who hasn’t ‘tizzed’ or ‘juzzed’ up a dish before?

Until I went to Italy, I had no idea that there was an actual term for dragging a piece of bread across your plate to collect all the gravy, juices or whatnot. ‘Scarpetta’ means ‘little shoe’ and it is this figurative little shoe that one uses – most often bread, but it can also be one’s finger when no one is looking.

Scarpetta, to me, is all about taking the time to savour. It’s about pausing and reflecting on what is before you and then relishing every single mouthful; tuning in and being thankful that your senses are alive even to the little moments – which, in this case, are the remnants of a greater part.

This delicious creamy dip and deliciously fresh flatbread is easy to make and perfect for pre-dinner nibbles or an afternoon snack.

How do you cook flatbread?

Flatbread is made with a simple dough of flour, salt, yeast and yoghurt and is typically fried in a hot pan with a little oil. When frying, the flatbread should puff a little before being flipped.

Ingredients

Zucchini, ricotta & pea smash

2 medium zucchinis, washed and pat-dried

Olive oil, for cooking

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon finely sliced green chillies

200g ricotta

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

Zest of 1 lemon

Flatbread

500g baker’s flour

1 teaspoon salt

20g dried yeast

200g yoghurt

Water, if needed (I used approximately 1 tablespoon)

50ml olive oil

Method

Slice the zucchini into chunks. In a heavy pan, heat the olive oil. Sauté the zucchini and peas for a few minutes, then add the garlic and chillies. Cook until the mixture becomes yielding – it should be soft enough to mash with a fork.

Allow the mixture to cool, then transfer it to a bowl. Mash to a rough paste, then add the ricotta, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Taste the dip and add a little more seasoning, if desired.

To make the flatbread, place the flour, salt, yeast and yoghurt in a bowl and mix well into a dough. If it’s a bit dry, add a little water.

On a floured bench, knead the dough until it becomes nice and smooth – about 15 minutes. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest on the bench to prove.

When doubled in size – about 1 hour – knock the dough back, then divide it into 8 equal-sized balls. Roll these out on the floured bench into 15cm rounds. Cover with a tea towel again for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy frypan with a little olive oil. When hot, carefully lift the dough rounds and place in the pan, one at a time. Colour one side before turning over. They should puff slightly. Continue until all are heated; keep warm under a tea towel until needed.

To serve, place the pea smash in a large bowl or spread it across a plate and pour a slick of olive oil on top. Serve with the warm flatbread.

Writer Steve Cumper