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baked zucchini dish

Baked Zucchini (Italian Style with Tomatoes - Side Dish)

Course Side Dishes
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 240
Author Lidia Conte
A light, crisp summer vegetable side dish of baked zucchini with breadcrumbs and tomatoes.

Ingredients

Prepare Zucchini:

  • 1 ½ lbs zucchini (one larger more mature, or two small to medium-sized)
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt (generous amount for salting)

Prepare Tomatoes:

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 15 cherry tomatoes (cut in half, or a few good quality canned tomatoes, like Mutti)
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano (a few shakes)
  • ⅛ tsp pepper (to taste)
  • ⅛ tsp salt (to taste)

Baked Zucchini:

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from a somewhat older loaf of bread)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (drizzle on the tray)
  • ⅛ tsp salt (to taste)
  • ⅛ tsp pepper (to taste)
  • ½ Tbsp wine vinegar (a few splashes, good quality Italian- preferably 6% acidity)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Zucchini (Salting Zucchini):

  • If using an older zucchini, slice it in half and remove the core/seeds. Cut into thin slices (see how my Mum did it).
  • If using younger zucchini, cut into ¼" (½ cm) slices.
  • Layer into a colander in the sink and sprinkle generously with Kosher salt.
  • Place a plate and weight on top of the zucchini to help push out the liquid, and leave for 15 minutes. Now remove the plate and squeeze the water out by hand or in a cloth. Repeat with the rest of the slices. Dry the zucchini in a paper towel.

Prepare the Tomatoes:

  • Put the tomatoes, fresh or canned, into a bowl.
  • Add the extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano and mix well.Taste to see if it needs more salt.

Assemble the Ingredients for Baked Zucchini:

  • At this point, preheat the oven to 450℉ (235℃).
  • Prepare a tray or trays/pans by drizzling some extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of them. Sprinkle with some of the fresh homeade breadcrumbs, then begin arranging, slightly overlapped the pieces. Continue until a layer is complete.
  • Sprinkle the zucchini generously with breadcrumbs, dot with the cherry tomatoes and the juice. Then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Now comes that splash of vinegar. I love a really strong Italian wine vinegar (at least 6% acidity).
  • Pop into the hot oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are crispy and tomatoes are blistered.
  • Serve hot, although it's not bad at room temperature, but to be honest.

Notes

  • Use fresh, quality ingredients for the best results.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 945mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 619IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg
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