When I’m short on dinner ideas and don’t want to resort to the usual slice of meat, I often turn to vegetable casseroles, especially in the summer. One of my favorites is the zucchini and ricotta casserole stuffed with ham and cheese. I created this recipe on a day when I wanted a tasty and satisfying dish. Starting from the recipe of zucchini and ricotta meatballs, I used a similar mixture to form a kind of gateau, stuffed with cooked ham and emmental cheese. The result is a very appetizing main course, with a delicate flavor and a tasty, stringy filling. This recipe will be useful on many occasions during the summer season, as an alternative to similar dishes like mixed vegetable timbale, the classic potato gateau or the eggplant timbale. You can enjoy it either hot or at room temperature, and it’s a great way to get kids to eat some vegetables!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 290.13 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 12.86 (g) of which sugars 2.45 (g)
- Proteins 19.47 (g)
- Fat 18.52 (g) of which saturated 9.65 (g)of which unsaturated 5.87 (g)
- Fibers 1.46 (g)
- Sodium 451.83 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 154 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the zucchini and ricotta casserole stuffed with ham and cheese
These doses are enough for an appetizer for 4 people or a main course for 2 people. If you are celiac, in addition to using gluten-free breadcrumbs, check that the cooked ham also has the label “gluten-free”.
- 12.35 oz zucchini
- 7.05 oz cow's milk ricotta
- 1 egg
- 0.7 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 1.41 oz breadcrumbs (+ as needed for the surface; for me gluten-free)
- A few leaves basil
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
- 2.82 oz cooked ham (sliced)
- 2.47 oz emmentaler (sliced)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Grater large holes
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Baking Dish 8×8 inches
- Parchment paper
How to prepare the zucchini and ricotta casserole stuffed with ham and cheese
To prepare the zucchini and ricotta casserole, start by washing and trimming the zucchini. Grate them with a large-hole grater (1). Once grated, squeeze them with your hands a few at a time (2) to remove as much of the vegetable water as possible. Transfer them to a bowl. Finely chop the basil leaves (3) and add them to the zucchini.
Add the ricotta, a generous pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper (4). Stir carefully with a spoon to mix everything, then add the egg (5). Continue to stir to incorporate it into the mixture. Then add the Parmigiano and breadcrumbs (6).
Stir again until you get a homogeneous mixture, fairly consistent and a bit sticky (7). If it turns out too soft, you can add a little more breadcrumbs. Line an 8×8 inches baking dish with parchment paper, then spread half of the mixture, forming an even layer (8). Place the slices of cooked ham on top (9).
Cover with the slices of cheese (10) and finish with the remaining mixture, spreading it evenly to cover all the filling (11).
Finish with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (12). Bake the zucchini and ricotta casserole in a preheated oven at 356°F (fan mode) for about 40 minutes. When it has formed a nice crust on the surface, take it out of the oven (13) and let it rest for about ten minutes before cutting.
You can serve the zucchini and ricotta casserole stuffed with ham and cheese either hot or at room temperature, as an appetizer or as a different main course.
Storage
You can store the zucchini and ricotta casserole in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, reheating it briefly in the oven or microwave before consuming.
Tips and Variations
You can also add a few mint leaves to the basil and a grating of lemon zest.
