Tag Archives: zucchini pie

TORTA DI ZUCCHINI, A FLASHBACK

Posted in Pizzas & Small Dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

This is a recipe I used to make all the time and for some odd reason disappeared from our menu. The other day I was searching the blog for ideas, and fell on this post from twelve years ago! I made it twice, two in a row, and tweaked it slightly. This is a lower-carb version, and if you skip the breadcrumbs on the topping it can also be gluten-free.

LOW-CARB TORTA DI ZUCCHINI
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

4 zucchini, 2 grated, 2 thinly sliced
4 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup almond flour plus more to sprinkle on plate
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano cheese
topping: 1/4 cup breadcrumbs + 1/8 cup Parmigiano cheese
drizzle of olive oil

Grease a pyrex pie dish with butter. Sprinkle some bread crumbs or almond flour to coat.

Mix the beaten eggs with the lemon zest, herbs, Parmigiano cheese, 1/4 cup of almond flour, salt and pepper. In another bowl, place the grated and sliced zucchini. Shake the dish carefully to distribute the slices more or less evenly. Add the egg mixture to it, mix gently, and pour into the prepared pie dish. Sprinkle the remaining mixture of bread crumbs (or you can use almond flour) and cheese on top, forming a very light coating. You may not need to use it all. Drizzle a bit of olive oil.

Bake in a 375F until set and golden on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is the type of recipe that makes the cook a bit nervous. As you put it together, it seems impossible to work. But trust me, it does. Normally recipes using zucchini tell you to squeeze the liquid, but this one does not. The mixture of grated zucchini with the slices is what makes the whole texture perfect. Think about a baked frittata, but without that intense eggy flavor that some people object to. I used almond flour in place of bread crumbs in the body of the recipe, but added some bread crumbs to the topping. You can just use almond flour instead for an even lower in carb concoction.

It is very important to let the torta rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. I actually like to leave it for about half an hour and enjoy it barely warm. That’s when everything sets nicely. I don’t know why this delicious side dish left our rotation, but it is so simple and so tasty, I felt it was worth re-blogging, with the minor modifications I introduced in this version. I hope you give it a try… Next on my plans? To make a mixture of carrots and zucchini. Stay tuned!

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TORTA DI ZUCCHINI

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

I sincerely hope that I’m below the radar of the food-blog-police, or I may be in trouble for posting too many zucchini recipes.  Without a doubt, to my mom’s shock and disbelief, zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables. While growing up I wouldn’t even try it, little did I know my how much my tastes would change!

The first time I tried this recipe was more than 20 years ago; it comes from an old, out of print cookbook by Giuliano Bugialli.   It’s unusual because this “torta”  takes no flour.  It also contains zucchini cut in two different ways: grated and sliced.  The grated component becomes creamy during baking, surrounding the more defined slices to form a light, refreshing, sort of crust-less quiche. By skipping the breadcrumbs, this recipe is also low in carbohydrates, for those who are counting.

TORTA DI ZUCCHINI
(from Giuliano Buggiali)

1 pound zucchini (2 medium-size), grated
1 pound zucchini, sliced thin
4 eggs, beaten
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup grated parmiggiano cheese
salt and pepper
fresh parsley, minced
fresh bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup)

Grease a pyrex pie dish with butter. Sprinkle some bread crumbs to coat.

Mix the beaten eggs with the lemon zest, parmiggiano cheese, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper.  In another bowl, place the grated and sliced zucchini. Shake the dish carefully to distribute the slices more or less evenly. Add the egg mixture to it, mix gently, and pour into the prepared pie dish.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs on top, forming a very light coating.

Bake in a 375F until set and golden on top.   Allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.   Serve warm or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here


Comments: This “torta”  makes a nice light meal, possibly served with soup or a salad.  In the summer I like to match it with tomatoes from the garden or from the farmer’s market.   Leftovers are best re-heated in the oven, because microwaving tends to make it watery.

On a side note… in Brazilian Portuguese, if someone says things that make no sense, either because they are wrong or have no relevance whatsoever,  the favorite expression is “to talk zucchini”  (falar abobrinhas).   I have absolutely no idea where the expression comes from, but maybe it helped shape my negative childhood view of zucchini.   Glad I got over it.   😉