The white zucchini parmesan is a very tasty and easy-to-prepare main dish perfect for summer. Naturally, it is not the original eggplant parmesan, which is one of the most representative dishes of Italian cuisine in summer, but a variant to discover! First of all, in this recipe, the main ingredient is not eggplant but zucchini, one of the most versatile and loved vegetables, which we use in layers to create this delicious parmesan. Moreover, instead of frying or grilling the zucchini, we use them directly raw. The secret is to slice them finely using a mandoline or vegetable peeler and then try to dry them as much as possible from their preservation water so they don’t release too much liquid during cooking. In this way, we avoid standing over the stove because it will be enough to simply slice the zucchini and assemble them with the other ingredients. In just 10 minutes, we will create the layers of this parmesan, which will only need to be baked. Don’t you think this is a very convenient and smart solution, especially in summer?
The recipe is very simple: we slice the zucchini thinly and dry them with paper towels or put them under salt for half an hour so they lose most of their water content, then pat them dry with paper towels. We form a layer of zucchini in an oiled baking dish, add a layer of ham, then smoked scamorza cheese, and proceed in this way until the ingredients are finished, ending the last layer with zucchini, oil, scamorza, and breadcrumbs. 30 minutes in the oven at 356°F, and it’s ready. Let it cool and then enjoy it!
We can enjoy it either hot when it’s still cheesy, but it’s also delicious warm or cold. So easy and fast that we can prepare it for lunch and dinner every day. With only six ingredients and 10 minutes of preparation, you’ll have a white zucchini parmesan to lick your chops!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients to prepare the White Zucchini Parmesan
- 1.76 lbs zucchini
- 14 oz smoked scamorza cheese
- 7 oz cooked ham
- extra virgin olive oil
- breadcrumbs
- salt
Tools
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Oven
Steps to prepare the White Zucchini Parmesan
To prepare the white zucchini parmesan, first trim the zucchini and slice them thinly with a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Pat them dry with paper towels to remove some of their water. Alternatively, you can sprinkle them with salt and let them rest for at least 30 minutes to lose their water content, then drain and pat dry well with paper towels to dry them.
Pour the olive oil into a baking dish. Create a first layer of zucchini, aligning them not to leave gaps between one zucchini and another.
Cover with slices of cooked ham.
Also slice the smoked scamorza cheese and create a layer of scamorza.
Create a second layer of zucchini, ham, and smoked scamorza cheese, then a third, until you run out of ingredients.
Create a final layer of zucchini slices, spread with oil, and sprinkle with some diced smoked scamorza and breadcrumbs.
Bake the white zucchini parmesan for 25-30 minutes at 356°F until it’s golden on top.
Let it cool slightly, then slice and serve.
Simo and Cicci recommend
You can store the already cooked parmesan in the fridge for up to 3 days, or prepare it in advance, storing it raw for no more than one day in the fridge. You can also freeze it either cooked or raw.
Since zucchini is very watery, you can dry them with paper towels or sprinkle them with salt and let them rest for 30 minutes, perhaps with a weight on top so they lose much of their water. Alternatively, especially in summer, you can place them on a towel and let them dry in the sun for a few hours.
If you prefer a cooked version of zucchini, you can simply grill them.
Instead of cooked ham, you can use another deli meat of your choice, such as mortadella, salami, turkey breast, or you can omit it.
Instead of smoked scamorza, choose a similarly dry cheese like mozzarella for pizza, emmental, or fontina.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
