Slicing up zucchini and tossing them into the pot sounds (and is) obvious, but there are many ways to do it.
Involtini, or rollups, are generally made with thin slices of beef or veal (and are called braciole in some parts of the south). However, one can also spread a filling over strips of vegetables and roll them up; the result is light, tasty, and perfect for summer.
Zucchini Tart, or Tortino di Zucchini: Here's a tasty side dish or antipasto, drawn from The Art of Eating Well (Random House, 1996), my translation of Pellegrino Artusi's La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene, the first truly successful Italian cookbook.
Zucchini Tomato Casserole, or Zucchini al Pomodoro: This recipe is Sardinian.
Baked Zucchini, or Zucchine al Forno: A zesty recipe from Lombardia that will serve 6.
Zucchini with Cheese, or Zucchine al Formaggio: A simple, quick summery dish.
Blended Zucchini Sformato, or Sformato Di Zucchini Passati: An easy, tasty sformato from Pellegrino Artusi's La Scienza In Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene, which I translated as The Art of Eating Well (Random House).
Grilled Zucchini: One would think this an obvious dish, but it's not nearly as common as all that. The recipe is courtesy of Ivana, who prepared it for a wonderful meal in the hinterland of Verona. It's more of a procedure than a recipe.
Zucchini with a Meatless Filling: Once many years ago my father and I stopped in a trattoria out in the country. He was trying to cut back on red meats, and thus ordered a frittata, specifying that he didn't want any meat with it -- he was assuming he'd get an onion frittata or perhaps one made with greens...
Zucchine Ripiene di Carne: Stuffed zucchini are a wonderful main dish in the summer months, and these look delightfully different -- they will also work for an elegant meal. Though the recipe says to serve them hot, they'll also be good served cold. The recipe will serve 6.
Zucchini Stuffed with Asparagus: Come spring, what could be better?
Fried Zucchini Slivers: This is a Roman recipe, and though these are not one of the principal components of a Roman-style platter of fried foods, they do add a wonderful touch. As is often the case with Italian recipes, it doesn't give specific quantities.
Sautéed Zucchini: This is a Roman recipe; it calls for prosciutto, which is nice but not absolutely necessary. You can also, if you are in a real pinch, omit the tomatoes, though if you do you should select baby zucchini because they will be more flavorful. If you do use baby zucchini increase double the number from the 8-10 called for here, which would be for larger zucchini.
Zucchini and Tomatoes with Anchovies: Italians often use anchovies as a seasoning; they add a nice hint of the sea and aren't at all fishy.
Zucchine con le Noci: Walnuts go surprisingly well as an ingredient, adding a pleasing texture contrast in addition to their nutty overtones.
Lisa writes, "I am looking for an Italian zucchini fritter, the closest name I can come to is patealli? I know it has zucchini, eggs and flour in it and is fried and then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It probably comes from the southern part of Italy (Reggio, Calabria) Any help you could provide would be very much appreciated."
Haven't found anything called patealli, but these, which are Calabrian, look good and sounds about right.
There are many recipes for stuffed zucchini. This is from Basilicata, and is quite simple, with bread crumbs, minced beef, and grated pecorino leading the way.
Scapece is a sweet and sour seasoning that derives from the Spanish tradition, and one finds it in various areas where the Spanish ruled throughout Italy (under a variety of names). In this case the recipe is from Basilicata, and doesn't contain sugar. It improves if made the day ahead, and is quite nice served lightly chilled.
A recipe with delightful background info from Faith Willinger, which gives an idea of how travel influences Italian cuisine.
Very tasty looking, from the folks at The Artisan.
A Hazelnut And Courgette Loaf, from Tonino, a retired Calabrian chef who now lives in England.
