Italian Zucchini Boats

Italian Zucchini Boats are stuffed with onions and garlic and seasoned with fresh basil and parsley.  Feta and Parmesan cheese are added to the mix.  Sprinkled bread crumbs on top give it a nice crispy crust.

It's a little early in Maine for fresh zucchini but garden fresh zucchini is right around the corner.  I purchased my squash at the store and was fortunate to grab the last two on the shelf.  This is one of two ways I love zucchini the best.  The second would be chocolate zucchini bread but that recipe is for a later date.  This recipe calls for 4 medium sized zucchini but as earlier stated, two was all I could find.  I cut the recipe in half for our dinner which you can do easily, however I will tell you, these are great as leftovers also! 

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 medium zucchini about 7-8 inches long

3 tablespoons good quality olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

3/4 cup finely minced onion

3 cloves garlic minced

3 eggs beaten

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs, finely ground 

salt and pepper to taste

extra bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese for sprinkling 

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Cut off the stem and the blossom

ends of the zucchini and discard, then cut the zucchini lengthwise.  Scoop out the insides with a teaspoon, leaving a 1/2 inch boarder around the boat.  Place the boats in a shallow casserole dish. 

Chop the insides into little bits. 

Combine the chopped zucchini innards with the onion and the garlic and add a pinch of salt, add olive oil to a heavy bottomed frying pan on medium heat and saute until all liquid is absorbed and the onions are soft.  Remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and add the feta, Parmesan and the herbs, mix well.  Add the bread crumbs and combine with the sauteed zucchini mixture.  

Season the zucchini boats with a few grindings of pepper and drizzle in a little olive oil.  Fill the boats evenly with the zucchini mixture and use up all the filling.  Sprinkle each filled boat with a little grated Parmesan then sprinkle over the cheese a little fresh bread crumbs.  Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread crumbs and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Enjoy!

 

Spinach and Feta Galette

 A galette is a rustic tart, made with a flaky free form crust.  This galette is filled with feta, ricotta, spinach and a little parmesan cheese.  The crust is rich with butter, giving it a crunchy crispness.  This is one of my all time favorite pies, reminiscent of the Greek pastry, Spanakopita.  

 Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch bits

6-7 tablespoons of ice water

5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

5 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 bunch scallions, whites and greens, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 oz. spinach, steamed, drained and run under cold water.  Squeeze dry, and chop well.

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the crust..

1.  Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.  Add butter and cut into flour until you have a course crumb with pea sized butter bits.  Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and mix together with a fork adding more water one tablespoon at a time until dough starts to come together.  Form into a ball and flatten slightly.  Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface into a 14 inch circle.  Place on a large parchment lined sheet pan and place in the refrigerator.

2.  To make the filling, in a small skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and sliced green onion and saute until soft 4-5 minutes..  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3.  Combine in a medium bowl, the ricotta, crumbled feta and grated parmesan cheese.  Add the chopped spinach, sauteed green onions and sour cream.  Season with black pepper and salt to taste.  Mix well.

4.  Preheat the oven to 375°F  Remove the pastry from the refrigerator.  Spread the cheese filling over the crust, leaving a 2 1/2 inch boarder around the edge uncovered.  Fold the uncovered edge over the filling, pleating to make it fit.  There will be an open hole in the center revealing the filling. 

Bake the galette on the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.  Let cool for 5 minutes then slide the galette off the pan onto a serving plate.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy!