Seems we can’t walk around a corner these days without tripping over zucchini. Am I right?!
And although very popular and crazy plentiful this time of year – zucchini is not a veggie that is all that exciting on its own, well, it’s actually not a veggie…it’s a fruit, but typically presented as a savory element, it’s something I mostly dream about all dressed up with salty crispy cheesy adornment. I never crave zucchini steamed, however – stuffed, breaded, fried, grilled and hasselbacked (never to be confused with Hasselhoffed) and sprinkled with Italian flavors, gets my attention every time.
This Hasselback Zucchini with Parmigiano Gremolata is a side-dish that goes beautifully with any protein you find yourself grilling these days.
What this traditional gremolata – lemon zest, minced garlic and chopped fresh parsley, along with a healthy dose of grated Parmigiano – does to our zucchini – ahhh – makes tripping over veggies worth it.
Why hasselback you might ask? Think about it…there’s that much more square footage for butter to melt in and soften the razor thin slices that will soon become the canvas for crispy bits of lemon scented garlic and parsley. And don’t even get me started on the cheesy bite of Parmigiano that melts in while it’s baking.
Plus… It’s fun. It’s appealing. It’s simple. If you possess two wooden spoons or a pair of chopsticks, you have the tools necessary to cut slices without going straight through. Line your spoons on each side and slice down to create an accordian-like zucchini.
Once sliced – go ahead and dot, pour, brush, paint (whatever it takes!) melted butter over top and bake on very high heat for a short spell, then pull ’em out and blanket them with gremolata.
These babies will go back in the oven for some final baking, ultimate crisping, and flavor enhancing.
So maybe we ate them straight from the baking dish as they exited the oven.
Well, that’s not entirely true…it was straight from the oven after another generous sprinkling of Parmigiano and a shake or two of red pepper flakes…
And then we dove in… Yes!
That’s how I recommend doing it, my friends!
Buon Appetito!
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Hasselback Zucchini with Parmigiano Gremolata
- Category: Side Dish
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano, divided
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 medium sized zucchini
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove lemon peel in strips and mince the peels.
- In a small bowl combine the peel, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and Parmigiano. Set aside.
- Cut the zucchini hasselback style. Place two wooden spoons or chopsticks on each side of the zucchini and slice down to create an accordian effect.
- Pour melted butter over zucchini and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and lower the heat to 350.
- Sprinkle gremolata over zucchini and place back in the oven for another 15 – 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining Parmigiano and red pepper flakes on top.
- Serve warm.
What? You want your zucchini sweet? Got you covered…
Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle
Have fun!
Ciao!
Oh my, those zucchini look just fantastic! Definitely trying this soon!
Thanks so much, Stacey!