Recipe: Zucchini Casserole

Once you start reaping the rewards of your garden, there isn’t a day that goes by that you are not knee deep in plants and picking something for dinner.

Today I will share my recipe for Zucchini Casserole. This dish I am sure will please any vegetarian's palate.

Your ingredients include two large green zucchinis, two medium size tomatoes, one medium Vidalia onion, two cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 32 ounces ricotta cheese, two eggs, grated cheese, fresh basil and parsley, garlic powder, butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

The mandolin, and I don’t mean the musical instrument, is a fast slicing kitchen gadget. Set it to ¼ inch and slice the zucchinis. Change the setting to 3/16 of an inch and slice the onion. Turn to 1/8 inch and slice the tomatoes. Put each vegetable on its own plate.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare a 9 x 12 inch glass Pyrex with non-stick spray.

In a sauté pan, add two tablespoons butter and turn to medium heat. Cook the onions till translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the same pan and place the zucchini in a single layer and lightly brown on each side. Carefully remove and put on a plate prepared with paper towel. Repeat until all the zucchini are pre-cooked.

To make the filling, combine 32 ounces ricotta cheese, two eggs, two tablespoons chopped fresh basil, six snipped sprigs of parsley, two handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese, one tablespoon garlic powder, ½ cup grated cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Begin to layer the pre-cooked zucchini, the sautéed onion and sliced tomato. Spread the ricotta cheese on top of that and repeat the layers ending with the tomato. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheese on top.

Place the casserole on a cookie sheet and set in the oven on the middle rack for approximately 45 minutes. If you insert a knife in the center it should be nice and hot. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

If I recall correctly, the Fanny Farmer Cookbook Basic White Sauce was something we learned to make in the first few weeks of home economic class. We will prepare it with cheese to top our linguine pasta side dish.

To make this sauce you will need four tablespoons butter, four tablespoons flour, 2 ½ cups warm milk, salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Whisk constantly for two minutes or so.

Do not brown. Pour in the warm milk and whisk to boil. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper, lower heat and continue to cook for another two to three minutes. Add one cup of grated cheese, mix and remove from heat.

Fill a pot with water and set on high. Cook the pasta according to the package and strain.

Cut the casserole in squares and plate with a side of linguine and ladle some cheesy white sauce on top. 

I love to garden. Soon my tomatoes will be ready to pick. What shall I make?