As farmer Jamie said this week, we were getting “squashed”. What do I say to that? Bring it on. Zucchini and summer squash are frequent in the share boxes throughout the summer so it’s nice to have a variety of ways to use them. This dish is not only beautiful for a presentation piece but also done start to finish in 45 minutes using ingredients that you probably have around the house. Let’s get started!
I used two zucchini and two summer squash and it was perfect. Give them a good scrub and remove the ends, don’t forget to compost your scraps!
Prepare your dish. I used a nice stoneware dish for or this because I like the way the heat is more evenly distributed. Whatever dish you choose make sure it is nice and open to display the beautiful presentation. Spray or grease the dish so the squash doesn’t stick.
Slice the zucchini into rounds and place them in a large bowl.
Slice the summer squash and add it to the same bowl.
Toss the bowl of veggies with olive oil to coat them. Then add salt, pepper, and a dried seasoning. I used a dry seasoning that combined dried basil, oregano, and garlic. Toss them again.
Here is where the dish gets pretty. Arrange the slices of veggies on their sides around the edge of the dish. Continue until the veggies are all used up and the dish looks like the picture above….beautiful!
The presentation is beautiful, now add the last of the flavor and texture to the dish. In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup of bread crumbs (gluten free if you so choose) with 1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Stir together.
Evenly distribute the cheese and crumb mixture to cover all of the surface area, letting the crumbs and cheese slide down inbetween the slices of squash.
Cover with foil and place it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and place the dish back in the oven under the broiler, watching it carefully so it doesn’t burn, just browns nicely on the surface.
Talk about a pretty dish! A great one to bring to a party or serve at a dinner it will impress your guests. Enjoy!