Imagine a dish that embodies lightness and taste, perfect for celebrating the freshness of the season: the grilled zucchini roll with arugula and ham, featuring a delicious creamy cheese enriched with herbs.
The zucchini, versatile stars of Mediterranean cuisine, are enhanced by grilling, which brings out their delicate flavor and adds a slight smoky note. The filling, a symphony of creaminess and savoriness, combines soft cheese with the bold taste of ham, harmonized by the slightly spicy freshness of arugula.
This appetizer not only charms with its simplicity and quick preparation, but also serves as a light and elegant second course, ideal for any occasion.
Perfect for serving at both a dinner with friends and a more informal lunch, this roll embodies the quintessence of genuine pleasure and freshness.
Below, I leave you with other delicious zucchini recipes, and then we will immediately go under the photo to discover how to prepare the Grilled Zucchini Roll with Arugula and Ham!!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients for the grilled zucchini roll with arugula and ham
- 3 white zucchinis
- 7 oz robiola (or Philadelphia or stracchino)
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig mint (fresh)
- 1 sprig chopped parsley
- 4 oz cooked ham (sliced)
- to taste arugula
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 pinch black pepper (ground)
Tools
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Cast Iron Grill
- 1 Bowl
Steps
Wash, trim, and slice the zucchinis with a mandoline or a sharp knife to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
Then grill them for a few moments on each side on a hot grill without adding any fats, season with salt, pepper, and set aside.
Finely chop the aromatic herbs (you can use your favorites) or replace them with 2 tablespoons of pesto.
Put the robiola or Philadelphia in a bowl and mix it with the chopped herbs (or pesto), if using stracchino soften it first using a fork and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Now you are ready to assemble the grilled zucchini roll with arugula and ham.
On the work surface, place some plastic wrap, on top of it form a rectangle with the grilled zucchinis slightly overlapping them.
We made 2 rows of zucchinis with 7 slices each row.
Cover with cooked ham, spread the cheese with the herbs over it (always staying within the edges of the zucchini).
Add the arugula after washing and drying it, season with ground black pepper and roll up using the plastic wrap starting from the short side to the other short side.
Try to tighten well with the plastic wrap then close and place in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 2 hours.
After the resting time, remove the grilled zucchini roll from the fridge, gently unwrap from the plastic wrap.
Gently place on a serving plate and decorate with tufts of creamy cheese with herbs and some aromatic herb leaves.
Bring to the table cutting it into slices with a serrated knife.
Tips and Variations
You can use robiola, softened stracchino with a little extra virgin oil, or Philadelphia; if you want something lighter ricotta is excellent when well-drained.
You can use your preferred aromatic herbs, a great mix is mint and basil or thyme and oregano.
If you want to give the grilled zucchini roll with arugula an extra kick, you can replace the aromatic herbs with pesto.
