Il Cucinologo
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Zucchini and Shrimp Rolls

17/11/2023

Zucchini and shrimp rolls are a delicious and light dish, perfect as an appetizer or a summer main course. Let’s look at the recipe together with an all-Italian touch.

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini
  • 200 g cleaned shrimp
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Extra-virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • A bunch of fresh parsley
  • Lemon juice
  • Slices of smoked pancetta (optional)
  • 1 glass of white wine (optional, but recommended for deglazing the shrimp)

Preparation

  1. Start by washing the zucchini and slicing them lengthwise to a thickness of about 3-4 mm. You can use a mandoline to get even slices.
  2. Grill the zucchini slices on a hot griddle or nonstick pan just long enough to get nice golden grill marks on both sides and to soften them. Lightly salt them and set aside.
  3. For the shrimp, in a pan, sauté the finely chopped garlic with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a couple of minutes.
  4. If you want to add extra flavor, deglaze the shrimp with a glass of white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
  5. As soon as the shrimp are cooked, remove the garlic and turn off the heat. Add the chopped parsley and a little lemon juice to give freshness to the dish.
  6. Place a couple of shrimp on a grilled zucchini slice, roll it up to form the roll. If desired, you can wrap each roll with a slice of smoked pancetta before grilling them again to make them crispy and give them a smoky flavor.
  7. At this point, you can secure the rolls with a toothpick to keep them closed and, if you opted for the pancetta, return them to the griddle or pan for a couple of minutes per side, until the pancetta becomes crispy.
  8. Serve the rolls hot or at room temperature, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and, if you like, a sprinkle of fresh pepper and a few drops of lemon.

Fun Fact

Zucchini and shrimp rolls are a great testament to Italian cuisine that loves to play with the freshness of seafood and garden ingredients. In some variations, you can also add aromatic herbs inside the rolls to further enrich them with aroma and flavor. Buon appetito!