Zucchini parmigiana is an alternative variant to the traditional “parmigiana di melanzane”. In this case, instead of using eggplant, tomato and mozzarella, the recipe is based on zucchini (also called courgette). This vegetable has a more delicate flavor than eggplant, so we can combine it with datterino tomatoes, a type of yellow tomato with a more subtle flavor, and a cheese that can be provola, scamorza, or a mixture of both.
Ingredients:
3 large zucchini
300 gr. datterino tomato passata
350 gr. scamorza or provola
1 small onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
Basil leaves
2 or 3 tablespoons of grated cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano)
Extra virgin olive oil, salt
Zucchini parmigiana is an alternative to the classic eggplant parmigiana or parmigiana di melanzane, which is why it is worth consulting the original recipe.
Zucchini Parmigiana Recipe:
Chop the onion and garlic. Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and fry over moderate heat. After about 10 minutes, add the tomato, salt to taste and continue cooking over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Separately, cut the zucchini into slices no thicker than half a centimeter. Heat a frying pan adding a minimum amount of extra virgin olive oil, just enough to paint the surface. Fry the slices for a few minutes on each side until they take on color. Reserve.
Finally, cut the cheese into very thin slices. Wash and dry the basil leaves, reduce them by cutting them by hand.
At this point, will have all the ingredients ready to assemble our zucchini parmigiana:
Brush the bottom of a baking tray with a little olive oil. Proceed to form successive layers, starting with the zucchini, then the datterino tomato sauce, basil leaves and the scamorza (or provola) lastly. After having added the last layer of cheese, sprinkle the grated cheese on top. This will not only add a touch of additional flavor, but will also allow the parmesan to acquire an attractive color in the oven.
To finish, bake for about 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 200 degrees. The exact time will depend on the browning we want to achieve.
Tips and tricks:
- Scamorza cheese can be natural or smoked, we can choose any of them according to our preference. Instead, I suggest using provola dolce for this recipe, as the spicy version can be too overbearing in taste.
- Let the parmigiana cool down a bit before cutting into portions, otherwise it would probably lose the form.