Important: do not skip this step or the courgettes will release too much liquid as they bake, resulting in a soggy loaf.

Top and tail the courgettes then coarsely grate them: discard the seedy middle of large courgettes.

Put into a sieve, toss through a large pinch of salt then set over a bowl while you complete the next steps.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160° Fan / Gas 4 / 350°F with a shelf positioned in the middle.

Butter a small, non-stick loaf tin (approx. 19 x 9 x 6 cm, capacity 450ml or 1 lb).

If your tin isn't non-stick, put a long strip of baking/greaseproof paper along the bottom so it comes up above the rim of the short sides - you can use these as handles to lift it out if necessary.

Sift the flour, garlic granules or powder if using, pepper plus 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl.

Take handfuls of the courgette and squeeze hard to remove and discard as much liquid as possible then set aside.

Grate the butter into the flour mixture (dip the butter into the flour now and again to stop it sticking to the grater) then rub in with your fingertips.

Add the 125 grams of coarsely grated cheese and the basil leaves, roughly tearing the leaves as you add them to the bowl.

Take handfuls of the courgette again and squeeze once more before adding to the flour and cheese mixture.

Stir all the ingredients together: if strands of courgette stick together, run your hands through the mixture to separate them and ensure all are coated in flour.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture and tip in the beaten eggs. Start stirring to create a thick, cake-like batter, adding only just enough milk as needed to achieve this: refer to the image in the blog post to see the texture you're aiming for.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, pressing down lightly, making sure you go into the corners, and smoothing the top. Sprinkle over the 25 grams of finely grated cheese.

Put into the preheated oven and bake until risen, brown and firm: a skewer or cocktail stick inserted should come out clean when done (50-60 min).

Recommended: check at 35-40 minutes whether the top is browning too quickly. If it is already quite dark, cover loosely with a piece of foil.

When the loaf is done, leave in the tin but on a cooling rack for 5 - 10 minutes. Tip or lift out of the tin and leave on the rack until cold before slicing.

The loaf should keep 4 - 5 days wrapped in foil in an airtight container. After that time, it's best heated in a microwave or toasted.

Can also be frozen whole or in slices when fresh.