Baked rice and courgettes

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Cook the rice in boiling water until al dente, about 35 minutes. Drain and set aside in a bowl.
3. Combine the oil and onions in a large non-stick frying pan and cook over moderate heat until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and stir a further 1 minute.
4. Add courgettes and cook 5 minutes, until crisp and tender, then stir in oregano and season with coarsely ground black pepper. Add courgette mixture to the rice, together with the cherry tomatoes and ricotta. Mix well.
5. Spread evenly in an oven proof dish sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Scatter with parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.  Remove foil and cook a further 10 minutes or until top is golden and filling is bubbling.

A recipe from The New Classic Cookbook, Loukie Werle, 2007.