Roman Zucchini

Kim127's Note:

I'm starting to collect recipes for this year's hopefully huge garden bonanza. I found this recipe in The Creative Gardener's Cookbook. I can't wait for that bumper crop of squash!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 slices lean bacon , diced
• 1 onion , diced
• 1 clove garlic , diced
• 1 lb fresh tomato , peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb zucchini , washed and halved lengthwise
• salt

Topping

• 2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely cut chives
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 6 tablespoons cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil and saute the bacon until brown.
3. Add onion and garlic; saute until the onion is translucent.
4. Add tomatoes and oregano to the skillet and season to taste.
5. Cook until the sauce becomes fairly thick.
6. Pour the sauce into a medium casserole dish.
7. Combine all the ingredients for the topping and mix to a spreading consistancy.
8. Arrange zucchini on top of tomato sauce and then spread topping over zucchini.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Reviews

[BothFex]

Went on vacation for a week and when we left our zucchini were an inch or so away from harvesting size (8-10" in length and an inch or so in diameter). Came home and they are as long and as big around as my forearm!!! I stacked them up in DH's arms like cord wood then ran to Zaar to find recipes for these bertha's. This recipe was one of the first that I found and boy... what a find! I doubled the recipe (this was the main course) using both green and yellow zucchini and the results were fabulous! I also omitted the oil, used canned tomatoes instead of fresh and instead of mixing together the topping I just sprinkled each ingredient (minus the cream) over the zucc's. Holy taste buds Batman! My 7 year old ate 3 helpings- 3! Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I'll be making this a lot this season.

[evelyn/athens]

This recipe was delicious. I'm going to make more next time and serve it as a main course and not a side. The only things different I did was use olive oil instead of vegetable oil and 1 more bacon rasher. Thanks Kim.

[ratherbeswimmin']

Zucchini is one of my very favorite veggies. This turned out better than I expected. I prepared this similar to BothFex. I did without the oil altogether. I also sprinkled each topping ingredient on separately and didn't use the cream. I wish I had doubled the recipe and will next time. Very tasty and easy to make. Thanks Kim.