What a lovely little summer supper we had last night. I made a crustless quiche like-dish, loaded with shredded zucchini, served with a green salad with fresh lemon dressing, and a fruit salad.
I enjoyed not only eating the zucchini bake, but also watching my 10 year-old daughter Katelyn shovel it her mouth, since she doesn’t like zucchini. Of course, I couldn’t tell Katelyn the dish contained zucchini, because then she would automatically reject it out of principle. No one is going to tell her zucchini can be good. Humph! I was nervous the whole time she would use her fork to pick through it and investigate, asking detailed questions. I really felt like I was getting away with something, and I did, this time.
Packed with provolone and kissed with basil, Italian Zucchini Bake is like a hybrid of quiche and spoon bread. Because this dish is rich, I wanted light side dish offerings, and looking back, a fresh, warm baguette would have rounded out the meal nicely. This menu would make a perfect brunch offering.
Besides being delicious, making Italian Zucchini Bake is a smart way to employ summer’s bounty of zucchini, considering the recipe calls for 5 1/2 cups of the stuff. At my local farmers market, sometimes I can get a 40 pound box for $5. How does a thrifty homemaker turn that down? Fortunately, summer squash is mild, and can be adapted in just about anything, including desserts, and my suspicious daughter.
Italian Zucchini Bake
5 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
2 TBSP fresh, minced basil
1 small onion, minced
2 cups white flour
1 3/4 cups provolone cheese
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Shred zucchini.
Mince the fresh basil, and combine with the remainder of ingredients, leaving out 2 TBSP of Parmesan.
Add zucchini, and mix. Pour into a greased casserole, and sprinkle with 2 TBSP of Parmesan.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until brown on top. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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