Recipe: courgettes, chilli, mint and feta on toast

Courgettes, chilli, mint and feta

Cooked courgettes can be mushy and disappointing, but using them raw and marinated like this turns them into something completely different. A stunningly crisp and sparkling salad in which to bury nuggets of salty feta.

SERVES 4

TAKES 15 minutes

1 large or 2 small courgettes (zucchini)

1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

few good pinches chilli (hot pepper) flakes, plus extra to serve

small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped

zest of 1 lemon

4 slices pane pugliese or other rustic bread

140g/5oz feta, broken into large chunks

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Slice the courgette lengthways into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler or mandoline. Place in a bowl and toss through 1 tbsp of the oil, the chilli flakes, most of the mint, lemon zest and some seasoning. Set aside to soften for 5 minutes.

2 Toast the bread and drizzle with the remaining oil. Top with the courgette ribbons and crumble over the feta, then sprinkle over a little extra chilli and the remaining mint.

Recipe: Emily Kydd Photograph: Louise Hagger

Recipe taken from Posh Toast (Quadrille, £12.99), out now.