White parmigiana

• 10 minutes to prepare • 15 minutes to grill • 30 minutes to cook • Serves 4

 

Where is the Spring? 

Am I the only one who overbuys at the farmer’s market?
My eyes are definitely bigger than my fridge and the fresh produce is bursting from the drawers.
And on chilly weekend lunches, I’m looking for easy appetizer dishes that make vegetables appealing.

If you are a regular reader, you know we are huge fans of the greens like here, here and here. And zucchini is no exception.
I love grilling mine. It still keeps a crisp bite (I’m not a fan of mushy foods), and this version is garnished with creamy, tastilicious mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, plus some pesto sauce for freshness. Simplicity at its best.

When you start with great ingredients, you don’t need to do a lot to them – just let the flavors shine through.

Here's what you will need for the 4-serving recipe:

100 g grated Parmesan cheese
200 g pesto sauce (my recipe is linked here)
200 g mozzarella cheese
500 g zucchini
100 g breadcrumbs
20 g butter
EVO oil
salt and pepper

1. Carefully wash zucchini e cut them into thin slices, about 3-4 mm thick
2. Drain the mozzarella cheese. Cut it into small pieces and place it in a colander
3. Take a grill pan grid, the one you normally use for steaks, preferably non-stick. When it is hot, place the zucchini slices on it, add a pinch of salt, and cook it for about 5 minutes, turning it so that the heat reaches it uniformly. Then, keep them aside
4. When everything is ready, preheat oven to 180°C
5. In an 23 by 15-cm brownie pan, grease with butter and dust the baking pan with breadcrumbs. Then, arrange zucchini slices on top, placing them as close as possible. Over each slice, spread 1 tablespoon of pesto sauce and place few pieces of mozzarella. Then, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Arrange other slices of zucchini on top, placing them perpendicular to the slices below. Repeat with pesto sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Go on with the layering until all the ingredients are used
6. Bake the white parmigiana at 180° for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving

Nutrition Facts are detailed in the table below. Data is provided per serving.