Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Dippers

Closet Cooking yet again makes an appearance on my dinner table. I love that guy, I really do. He’s into everything I am: eating seasonally with global recipes. Here is one of his latest, faithfully reproduced by yours truly: Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce. For the sauce, I did my new favorite recipe of throwing a bunch of chopped tomatoes, ½ onion, a handful of baby carrots chopped, fresh basil, oregano and parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and wine into a casserole dish. Put that in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then blend in a food processor (or immersion blender – my new best friend) and you have delicious sauce. OH, don’t forget to add 1 can tomato paste, parmesan and ½ tsp of sugar. Those are important.

Incidentally, I didn’t put all of the parmesan bread crumb mix into the bowl. I put in a little, used it up, and put in a little more when I needed it. Now I have a reserve of uncontaminated parmesan breadcrumbs in a ziplock baggie that I can dredge fish in, or chicken, or pork, or anything else that would taste good baked in breadcrumbs (and really, what doesn’t taste good baked in bread crumbs?).
But onto the recipe, which makes use of late summer’s finest. --AnglophileLV


Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce
(makes 4 appetizer sized servings)

Ingredients:1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian style)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 pound zucchini/courgettes (sliced into sticks and pat dry)
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 eggs (lightly beaten)

Directions:
1. Mix the bread crumbs, parmigiano reggiano and oregano in a bowl.
2. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper.
3. Dip the zucchini in the egg and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture.
4. Place the zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer with the skin side down.
5. Bake in a preheated 425F oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.