TABELIA

AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Zucchine Gratinate al FornoOven-Gratinated Zucchini

Oven-Gratinated Zucchini
Difficulty★★☆☆☆ Prep20 min Cook30 min servings4

A southern Italian home-style contorno: zucchini salted to draw out moisture, topped with breadcrumbs flavored with Parmigiano and oregano, then baked in the oven.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated
100/ 100

AUTHENTICITY SCORE

Authenticity Score

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Ingredients (4 servings)

  • ZucchiniCut into rounds 1 cm thick; sprinkle with salt to draw out moisture4 pieces
  • BreadcrumbsUse fine crumbs60 g
  • Parmigiano ReggianoGrate40 g
  • Dried oregano4 g
  • GarlicFinely chop1 clove
  • Flat-leaf parsleyFinely chop and mix into the breadcrumbs4 sprigs
  • Extra virgin olive oil50 ml
  • Salt4 g
  • Black pepper1 g

Method

113 min

Preheat the oven and prepare the zucchini

  • 1 Start preheating the oven to 200°C.
  • 2 Trim the ends from 4 zucchini and cut into rounds 1 cm thick.
  • 3 Spread the sliced zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with 4 g salt and leave for 10 minutes to draw out moisture.
  • 4 Meanwhile(While the oven preheats.)

Ready when

Proceed after blotting away the moisture on the surface with kitchen paper.

28 min

Make the herbed breadcrumbs

  • 1 Finely chop 1 garlic clove and 4 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.
  • 2 Grate 40 g Parmigiano.
  • 3 In a bowl, combine 60 g breadcrumbs, the Parmigiano, 4 g dried oregano, garlic, parsley, 1 g black pepper and 30 ml extra virgin olive oil.

Ready when

Proceed when all the crumbs are moist and hold together lightly when squeezed.

35 min

Arrange in a baking dish

  • 1 Grease an ovenproof dish with 10 ml extra virgin olive oil and arrange the zucchini slightly overlapping.
  • 2 Spread the herbed crumbs evenly over all the zucchini and drizzle with the remaining 10 ml extra virgin olive oil.

Ready when

Proceed when the breadcrumbs cover the dish right into the corners.

425 min

Bake

  • 1 Bake in an oven at 200°C for 20–25 minutes.
  • 2 Remove when the breadcrumbs are evenly golden and a bamboo skewer slides easily into the zucchini.

Ready when

Let settle for about 5 minutes before serving.

A view of Napoli, Campania
Napoli, CampaniaA view of Italy Photo: Armando Mancini · CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Zucchini prepared au gratin is a common summer contorno in southern Italian homes. When gardens and markets overflow with zucchini, this simple dish topped with breadcrumbs and cheese and baked in the oven becomes an everyday staple.

Using breadcrumbs, or pangrattato, made from hardened bread in baked dishes is a deeply rooted practice in southern Italian kitchens. Combined with oregano or garlic, these seasoned crumbs are used on vegetables and fish, transforming modest ingredients into fragrant, toasted dishes.

It still appears as an accompaniment to a meat or fish secondo, or as part of an antipasto. It can be eaten hot or at room temperature, so it is also often prepared ahead at home.

Chef Authen

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