Begin by heating the olive oil in your large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Once it shimmers slightly, add the finely chopped onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and softened, releasing a sweet aroma.

Stir in the minced garlic, diced red and green bell peppers, and the grated courgette (remembering to squeeze out any excess water from the courgette first). Continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly. You’ll notice the vegetables softening further and their colours intensifying, with a pleasant savoury scent filling your kitchen.

Next, add the tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, dried oregano, dried basil, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes (if using). Give everything a good stir until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture turns a rich, vibrant red. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it cook for 10-12 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld beautifully. When you lift the lid, you should see a thick, fragrant vegetable sauce, with the tomatoes broken down and the vegetables very tender.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the vegetable mixture to cool slightly for about 10-15 minutes. This step is important to prevent the cottage cheese from splitting when mixed.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the low-fat cottage cheese and Greek yoghurt. Add the cooled vegetable mixture to the bowl. Stir everything together thoroughly until the vegetables are evenly distributed through the creamy cottage cheese and yoghurt base. The dip should have a lovely, slightly chunky texture and a pale orange hue.

Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Give it a final stir. At this point, I often taste it again just to make sure the seasoning is spot on – it's amazing how a little extra salt or pepper can really make the flavours sing.

Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley or coriander, or transfer to airtight containers for meal prepping.