Thursday, July 16, 2009

Zucchini Parmesan

Anyone who gardens knows that Zucchini is the Italian grandmother of the vegetable world... "Eat, eat, don't you want more? But I made this just for you!" As usual, my zucchini is overproducing and I am coming up with as many different ways as I can to cook this stuff! Good thing everyone in my house likes it.

Zucchini Parmesan
Zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
Italian dressing of your choice
Breadcrumbs (I used a mix of seasoned and panko)
Tomato Sauce of your choice
Shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Marinate zucchini in Italian dressing for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Coat zucchini rounds in breadcrumbs (no need to dip in egg, the dressing will hold the breading on.) Place in one layer in a baking dish
4. Bake uncovered about 15 - 20 minutes
5. Remove from oven. Drizzle with sauce and top with cheese. Bake again 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

The Verdict
We made 3 trays of this... it was all gone within two days. We cut it up small for Julia and she loved it too! You could serve this with pasta as a side, over rice, in a sandwich, or as a stand alone dish. You can certainly use jarred sauce... I know, you're thinking, "But Puttanesca! You're Italian! Don't you make your own?" Yes, I do, but jarred sauce is very convenient, especially for parmesan dishes, pita pizzas, etc. I open a jar of sauce, pour it all into a saucepan, spice it up (extra garlic, onion powder, and oregano, usually) and return it to the jar. Stored in the back of the refrigerator, it will keep a few weeks.

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