Creamy Raw Zucchini Parmigiana
This white zucchini parmigiana is super easy to prepare and very, very tasty and it is also light, because the water that comes out of the raw zucchinis during cooking makes the parmigiana extremely creamy (see photo), even in the absence of béchamel or cream. I highly recommend it also for the speed of execution, you don’t even have to cook or fry the zucchinis, everything is prepared raw! NO frying.
Idea!: if you make the parmigiana in summer, stuff it with cooked ham and mozzarella, if you prepare it in winter (or during the Christmas period) pair it with salmon and melting cheese. It’s a main course or one-dish meal, really tasty, that I recommend.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 410.81 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 26.68 (g) of which sugars 1.32 (g)
- Proteins 22.32 (g)
- Fat 24.79 (g) of which saturated 12.87 (g)of which unsaturated 2.32 (g)
- Fibers 2.04 (g)
- Sodium 1,147.18 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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 Creamy Zucchini Parmigiana
- 1.1 lbs Zucchinis (medium-sized, NOT too small)
- 12 oz fiordilatte (well drained or melting cheese like galbanino or sliced cheese)
- 5 oz Cooked Ham (or packaged salmon)
- to taste Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- to taste All-purpose Flour
- to taste Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- to taste Basil (or mint or nutmeg)
- to taste Breadcrumbs
- to taste Fine Salt
Tools
- Mandoline professional
- Baking Pan
- Brush
– Preparation for the Creamy Zucchini Parmigiana
Wash, dry well, and trim the zucchinis. With the help of a mandoline, slice them thin about 1/10 inch thick and flour them well.
You will see that during cooking, the water released by the raw zucchinis, combined with the flour, will make your zucchini parmigiana creamy but light! because it will not be necessary to add béchamel or cream.
Brush a baking pan with a little oil, make a first layer of zucchinis, sprinkle with parmesan, cooked ham (or salmon), fiordilatte slices (or melting cheese), basil (or mint), a drizzle of oil and salt
Create the various layers this way (I made three), alternating the zucchinis once vertically and then horizontally (to create compactness in the slice) until all the ingredients are used up.
Finish the last layer with zucchinis, parmesan, a sprinkle of breadcrumbs, flour, oil, and salt.
Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F for about 30 minutes, until a crust forms.
The cooking time is indicative, it depends on the quality of your zucchinis and how much water they will release during cooking. It is important in any case that, at the end of cooking, the water is completely absorbed, and a nice crust has formed.
Let the parmigiana cool and serve it after 5 minutes to let it settle well and meld the flavors.
Notes and Tips
If you wish, you can make the parmigiana completely white by adding only the fiordilatte (or melting cheese) and skipping the cooked ham (or salmon).
This creamy zucchini parmigiana is also good at room temperature, it can be prepared in the morning to bake in the evening, BUT I do not recommend freezing it.
Shopping Tips!!!
To slice vegetables, I use this handy Professional Mandoline Slicer, 3 in 1, adjustable, available on Amazon.
