Courgette parmigiana with gochujang and black sesame

Method

1. Put a large frying pan over a high heat with a generous splash of vegetable oil. Slice the courgettes lengthwise into long, 5-10mm thick pieces. Fry the slices (working in batches) in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper, then repeat with the other slices, adding more oil as needed.

2. While the courgettes are frying, make the gochujang tomato sauce. Put a large saucepan over a medium heat with the 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for a minute until just softened, then add the gochujang paste and tinned tomatoes. Simmer until reduced by half, then season well with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the oven to 180°C/160ºC fan/gas 4. To assemble the parmigiana, cover the base of the baking dish with a single layer of courgette slices. Next, add a few torn basil leaves, then top with tomato sauce, followed by some torn mozzarella, a sprinkle of black sesame seeds and some grated parmesan. Repeat the layers until everything is used up, then bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until bubbling and golden. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.