Oven-Fried Zucchini
Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, these oven-fried zucchini aim to please the soggy skeptics. Zucchini are about 95 percent water, so a few things need to be done to ensure the disks don’t lose their bite. First, slices should be uniform in thickness (1/2 inch) for even baking. Next, lightly salting both sides of each slice before coating draws out some of the moisture (make sure to blot the zucchini slices dry with paper towels). Lastly, a generous amount of cheese in the coating helps the zucchini brown and crisp. To avoid bread crumb-y hands, use one for dipping in the egg wash and the other for the panko. To retain their crispness, the zucchini are best served right away. Try them with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil
- 2large eggs
- 1cup plain panko bread crumbs
- ½cup finely grated Parmesan
- 2teaspoons dried basil or Italian seasoning
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1pound zucchini (about 2 medium)
- Marinara or pizza sauce, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Adjust an oven rack to the top-third position and heat to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment and coat with cooking spray.Step 2
In a shallow bowl or pie plate, beat eggs. On a large plate, combine panko, Parmesan, dried basil, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix with a fork until well combined.Step 3
Trim ends of zucchini and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly on one side with salt and let sit for a few minutes, then blot with a paper towel. Flip zucchini and repeat salting and blotting on the second side.Step 4
Add a handful of zucchini slices to the beaten eggs, turning them a few times to coat. Transfer, one by one, to the panko mixture, allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Turn zucchini a couple times in the panko, gently pressing the panko so it sticks. Return the coated zucchini to the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Repeat with the remaining zucchini slices until they’re all coated.Step 5
Bake zucchini for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently flip the zucchini with a spatula, then bake until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.