Zucchini Tomato Bake with Panko Topping (three serving options, plus use up all those garden vegetables!)

If you grow your own vegetables, you probably know what it is like to have more zucchini and tomatoes exploding from your garden than you know what to do with. One of my goals has become to develop recipes that utilize the bounty, in an effort to inspire others with tasty recipes, and simply not to waste what I have. I tend to divide my squash into two categories, the first, the smaller and more tender ones, most like what you find in the supermarket. Secondly, those giant, thick skinned squash that barely seem like the same vegetable. I use those giant ones in my favourite late summer salsa recipe, canned and shelf stable for enjoying all winter long. For this recipe, you'll want to gather 2 lbs of the smaller, more tender ones from your garden. 

​
Why you'll love this recipe.

• It utilizes 2 lbs of zucchini, and 3 lbs of tomatoes from you garden.
• If you want to use up even more tomatoes, just make a large batch of the sauce, and freeze it in portions. 
• You can use the entire tomato, skin, seeds and all. This recipe is no-fuss. 
• It's delicious

​Ingredients in this recipe

• zucchini
• tomatoes
• onions
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• fresh or dried oregano

3 Ways to Serve

1. Italian Style with Olive Oil Grilled Crusty Bread and Fresh Basil
   
2. Spanish Style with Saffron Rice
   
3. As a topping for pizza

WITH CRUSTY BREAD
This version gives rustic Italian vibes. 

Simply spoon some of the zucchini and tomato bake onto a plate, and garnish with fresh basil.

For the bread, I like any crusty baguette here. Drizzle slices with olive oil, then onto a sheet pan, and into a 425F oven. Once golden on one side (maybe 3-5 minutes) flip the bread, leave it for another minute or two. 

I love spooning zucchini and tomato right onto the bread. 

Make it a meal: grilled veggie sausages along side here are great. 

SPANISH STYLE WITH SAFFRON RICE

"Spanish Style" was my original inspiration with this dish. I love my recipe for Green Beans in Tomato Sauce (Judias Verdes con Tomate) , and wondered if I could create something similar with the abundance of garden zucchini I had growing in my back yard. The answer of course is: yes.

Originally I served the zucchini tomato bake with plain white rice and sprinkled oregano and flaky saffron infused salt on top. The salt was a gift from a friend, I love it, and if you can get your hands on some it can be a beautiful garnish for lots of things.

Alternatively what I do, which is pictured above, is simply sprinkle a good pinch of saffron threads into the rice before turning it on to cook. It comes out fragrant, golden yellow and is totally lovely with this dish. 

PIZZA

I always have large pita breads on hand. I make them myself then freeze them. Far superior to store bought pita. 

For this, I just layered some of the zucchini tomato bake onto a pita, getting as much tomato as I can- it's the sauce part. Then I add lots of kalamata olives and plant based mozzarella and pop it right on the rack in a preheated 425F oven. When It's crisp, hot and a bit melty I take it out and garnish with fresh basil, and since I had some on hand, some of my basil mayo that I use to make my roasted vegetable club (use the mayo on whatever sandwich you want, also makes a great dip for crudité)

Step By Step Instructions

1. Make the tomato sauce: Sweat the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until completely softened. About 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper partway.

2. Process The Tomatoes: Puree 3 pounds whole tomatoes in food processor. (Best when using garden fresh tomatoes) I pick off the stems, but I don't bother removing the core. This is about simplicity and using the entire vegetable! If you don't have a food processor, you could definitely just chop up the tomatoes.

3. Cook The Sauce: Add the tomatoes to your sauce pan along with onion and garlic. Add either 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp of dried oregano. Add a few cups of water. Bring to a simmer, and season with another pinch of S&P.

4. Cook Zucchini in the Sauce: Before adding the Zucchini, you can puree the sauce with an immersion blender if desired for a smoother consistency. When sauce is ready, working in batches, add zucchini rounds to tomato sauce. Cook until JUST softened in the centers, with still firm edges. Moving slices to a 9x13 baking dish. They will soften up more in the oven, so it's important they have a bit of firmness remaining at this stage. 

5. Top with Tomato Sauce: Pour reduced and thickened tomato sauce evenly over the par cooked zucchini. 

6. Panko Crumb and Bake: Top zucchini with lots of panko crumbs, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.  Bake in a 425°F oven  for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly and slightly golden on top. ​