White Zucchini Parmigiana

White zucchini parmigiana is a delicious variant of the classic eggplant parmigiana. The “white” version refers to the absence of tomato in the recipe. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 4-5 large zucchinis
• 250 g mozzarella (preferably buffalo mozzarella)
• 100 g grated cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino)
• 200 g light béchamel (you can prepare it with milk, a tablespoon of flour, a knob of butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg)
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh basil
• Butter for the baking dish

Preparation

1. Wash and cut the zucchinis into longitudinal slices about 4-5 mm thick. You can grill them or, if you prefer, sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil until lightly golden, then set aside.
2. Prepare the light béchamel by melting the butter in a saucepan, adding the flour and mixing well. Add the hot milk little by little, always stirring to avoid lumps. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and continue stirring until the béchamel reaches a dense but still smooth consistency.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
4. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and let it drain to remove excess whey.
5. Butter a baking dish and start assembling the parmigiana by alternating layers of zucchini, béchamel, cubed mozzarella, grated cheese and some hand-torn basil leaves.
6. Repeat the layers until ingredients are used up, finishing with a final layer of zucchini, béchamel and a generous sprinkle of grated cheese.
7. Bake the parmigiana for about 30-40 minutes, or until the surface is golden and a delicious crust has formed.

Let the white zucchini parmigiana rest for a few minutes before serving: resting helps the flavors meld and makes for cleaner slices.

Trivia

Parmigiana, in its traditional version with eggplant, is a dish that originates from southern Italy, particularly between Sicily and Campania. Its white variants were born as modern reinterpretations that enhance the sweetness of the vegetable without the addition of tomato acidity.