Antonino Cannavacciuolo's Recipe: Zucchini’s Parmigiana. The beloved classic gets a green twist, with a smoked buffalo mozzarella filling and a mouthwatering basil sauce.

SERVINGS for 4 PEOPLE

For the zucchini's parmigiana

500 g of Pacchetelle tomatoes
600 g of zucchini
2 cloves of garlic
30 g of basil
150 g of Parmigiano Reggiano
300 g of smoked buffalo mozzarella cubes
All-purpose flour
8 eggs
Sunflower seed oil
Extra virgin Italian olive oil
Natural salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method

Wash and clean the zucchini. Slice them lengthwise using a slicer or mandolin. Coat them in flour, fry in sunflower seed oil, and drain on paper towels. Dip them in beaten eggs with 30 g of Parmigiano cheese, salt, and pepper, and fry them again. Drain them.

In a saucepan, sauté the garlic cloves in olive oil, add the blended tomatoes, basil, a pinch of salt, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Strain through a coarse sieve and adjust seasoning to taste.

Cut the mozzarella into cubes and let it drain. Grate the remaining Parmigiano cheese.

Assemble the parmigiana in a baking dish (or tall steel molds), alternating layers of zucchini with tomato sauce, mozzarella cubes, grated Parmigiano, and basil, seasoning each layer generously with salt. Bake: for the first 20 minutes at 170°C covered, then for the last 15 minutes at 165°C uncovered (but the timing may vary depending on the type of oven and mold size). Remove the parmigiana from the oven, let it cool, then place a weight on top to compact it and refrigerate.

For the basil sauce

200 g of basil
1 shallot
100 g of potatoes
Vegetable broth to taste
Ice to taste
Extra virgin Italian olive oil
Natural salt to taste

Method

Wash and peel the shallot, chop it, and sauté it in oil. Add the finely sliced and washed potato. Season lightly with salt, let it flavor, and moisten with vegetable broth. Once ready, remove from the pot and refrigerate.

Blanch and wash the basil, then cool it in salted boiling water, and then in ice water. Drain and dry it.

Blend the cold potato, basil, and a few crushed ice cubes together (this will prevent the blender from heating up too much and causing the basil to turn dark). Drizzle in olive oil to taste and adjust seasoning. Strain through a fine sieve.

For the finish touch

For the finishing touch remove the parmigiana from the baking dish, portion it into precise cubes, and reheat it in the oven. Place the parmigiana in the center of a flat plate, add a spoonful of basil sauce on the side, and garnish with a sprig of basil.

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Cover photo: @Stefano Fusaro