Courgette pikelets in pitta bread with sesame dressing

Courgette pikelets in pitta bread with sesame dressing. Photograph: Kimberly Hoang for the Guardian

For the pikelets
300g self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
150g courgette, washed,
trimmed and grated
A small handful basil leaves, roughly torn
60g parmesan, grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
375ml milk
1 tbsp olive oil
Butter, for frying
4 pitta breads
A handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped

For the dressing
2-3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper

1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.?Toss in the courgette, basil and parmesan.
2 Beat the egg with 275ml milk and 1?tbsp olive oil. Add to the flour mix. Stir well, adding more milk if needed.
3 For the dressing, crush the garlic. Mix with the tahini and a pinch of salt. Add half the lemon juice, stir until thick. Stir in the remaining juice. Add water, 1?tbsp at a time, until the dressing is thick, then add the olive oil and stir.
4 Toss the tomatoes in some dressing.
5 Fry 2 tsp dollops of mixture over a medium heat, allowing room to turn the pikelets. When they bubble, turn and cook the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm in a tea towel.
6 Warm the pitta breads and split. Pop some pikelets and tomato and sesame dressing into each?pitta.

Rosie Sykes is head chef of Fitzbillies (fitzbillies.com) and co-author of The Kitchen Revolution (Ebury Press, ￡25). To?order a?copy for ￡19.99 with free UK p&p,?go?to?guardianbookshop.co.uk

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Courgette and mint soup | Angela Hartnett

Angela Hartnett's courgette and mint soup. Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

This fresh soup works equally well warm or cold. I love it chilled on a hot afternoon. Use those courgettes at the bottom of your fridge that are getting a bit soft.

Serves 3-4

4 tbsp olive oil
Generous knob of butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 small courgettes, thinly sliced
Pinch of salt
300g frozen peas
500ml vegetable stock (top up with water to cover if necessary)
Handful of mint, torn
Handful of watercress, torn
50g spreadable goat's cheese
8 small pieces of toasted sourdough bread

Put half the oil and all the butter into a?pan on a medium heat. Saute the onion until soft, but without colour, then add the courgettes, season and cook for about five minutes.

Stir in the peas, add the stock, boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Check the seasoning, blend the mixture, thinning it with water if necessary.

If you want the soup cold, pour it into a bowl over some ice to chill quickly, then refrigerate. Chill your bowls before serving the soup, then garnish with the mint, watercress and a?little olive oil.

Spread the goat's cheese on to the sourdough toast for croutons and serve on the side.

‧ Angela Hartnett is chef patron at Murano restaurant and consults at the Whitechapel Gallery and Dining Room, London. Twitter.com/angelahartnett

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