Summer Zucchini Parmigiana
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 3 - 4 servings as an entree
Ingredients
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 4 medium sized zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch strips
  • 4 garden tomatoes, firm but ripe, thinly sliced
  • The leaves from a bunch of fresh basil, washed & dried
  • ½ pound of low moisture mozzarella, sliced into discs then torn into strips.
  • 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano
  • Peel of one medium sized lemon
  • 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
  • Olive oil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Layer the sliced zucchini in a colander either over a bowl or in the sink, salting each of the layers with Kosher salt. Once you have layered all of the zucchini, place a clean cotton dish towel over the zucchini along with a heavy can or jar for 30 minutes. This will remove the excess water from the zucchini.
  2. Line a plate with paper toweling and lay the tomato slices over the toweling. The paper toweling with absorb excess water from the tomatoes so the finished dish is not too liquid or runny.
  3. Select a 9 X 11 inch baking dish, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the dish and rub the sides and bottom of the oiled baking dish with the crushed clove of garlic. Remove and reserve the garlic, set the prepared baking dish aside.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a fry pan, add the crushed clove of garlic and turn the heat to medium. Once the oil is hot, add the fresh breadcrumbs and stir well. Lightly toast the breadcrumbs stirring frequently to be sure that they do not burn. Once the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted, remove the pan from the heat, discard the garlic and season the toasted breadcrumbs with salt.
  5. After 30 minutes of draining, rinse the zucchini with cool water and lay on a cotton towel to dry. Preheat your grill to medium high. Lightly brush the zucchini strips with olive oil and begin to grill until the zucchini is scored on each side.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350ยบ.
  7. Begin to build the Summer Zucchini Parmigiana by first layering the bottom of the baking dish with grilled zucchini slices, arranging them next to each other but not overlapping. Scatter some of the toasted breadcrumbs and grated lemon peel over the zucchini. Next cover the grilled zucchini with a layer of the drained tomato slices, a sprinkling of salt and some Parmigiano. Lay strips of the mozzarella over the seasoned tomatoes and liberally cover the cheese with whole basil leaves. Repeat this process until you have used all of the ingredients. Top the Summer Zucchini Parmigiana with a generous amount of toasted breadcrumbs and Parmigiano.
  8. Place into the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the contents are bubbling - about 20 minutes. Allow the Summer Zucchini Parmigiana to set for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil over each serving if desired. This dish is also wonderful at room temperature.
Recipe by LaBellaSorella at http://labellasorella.com/2017/07/summer-parmigiana/