I created this recipe by combining many of my favorite flavors–fresh summer zucchini, fresh garlic, basil pesto, and 2 kinds of cheese. It’s a little work to put it all together, but worth it.
Ingredients:
2 large zucchini
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
2 cups store-bought croutons, garlic and herb flavor
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 heaping Tablespoon store-bought basil pesto
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Rinse zucchini and cut off both ends.
- Slice both in half and lengthwise, making 4 pieces from each zucchini.
- Using a spoon, carefully scoop out inside flesh of each zucchini piece, leaving a 1/4-inch “shell”.
- Dice zucchini flesh and set aside.
- Over high heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once rapidly boiling, add salt and zucchini “shells”.
- Boil “shells” for 2 minutes. Carefully remove with tongs and set on paper towel to drain and cool.
- Add Tablespoon of olive oil to large non-stick sauté pan, over med-high heat.
- Add diced zucchini flesh, diced onion, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Stirring often, sauté 8 minutes, until very soft.
- Add minced garlic to sauté pan and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Remove pan from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.
- While mixture is cooling, crush 2 cups of crouton cubes into fine crumbs.
- Stir pesto into sauté mixture until combined.
- Stir crushed croutons into mixture until combined. (Add olive oil to taste, if mixture seems dry.)
- Stir mozzarella and Parmesan cheese into mixture until just combined (don’t over mix).
- Using a spoon, generously scoop mixture evenly into cooked and cooled zucchini “shells”. Gently press mixture into place.
- Place shells (not touching each other) onto greased cookie sheet and bake uncovered in hot oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve hot.
