Simple food is my jam. I mean, y’all know I love whipping eggs whites and have been known to hand-whip cream before. I think baking cakes and trying my hand at all the cookies are really fun things to do.
But when it comes to feeding my family? I like to make it healthy and quick, using what I have on hand already and it has to taste GOOD. I mean, I love food but Nate loves REALLY good food and I never want to make him settle for less. This little number is another dish that I made for dinner and didn’t plan on sharing, but after it came out of the oven I knew I had to. ESPECIALLY when we’re all (well, most of us) are harvesting way too many zucchini and need a way to use it other than passing it off to the neighbors. Am I right?
Y’all enjoy – from my kitchen to yours!
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini, washed and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices (a mandolin is magical here)
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (I prefer part-skim for this)
- 2 cups prepared marinara sauce (my favorite is here)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced very finely
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 whole egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Grease a 9- x 13-inch pan with oil or nonstick spray.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the zucchini slices. You're only going to cook them til they start to get a little tender, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the garlic and remove from the heat.
- Whisk together the ricotta, salt, pepper and egg.
- To assemble, spread the cooked zucchini in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Spread the ricotta mixture on top.
- Spread the marinara sauce on top of that.
- Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes until everything is hot and the marinara has started to caramelize slightly.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy hot!
Yum! Sounds so good! Come in by next week. I’m making homemade ricotta. Once you’ve done that, you won’t turn back. See you soon.
It’s a date girl, it’s a date 🙂 Seriously though…homemade ricotta? Do you have a recipe on your blog? I’m so game to make that!
Oh my gosh! I am going crazy for this, zucchini and ricotta are 2 of my most favourite summer things! Such a great combination – and your photography is superb! I am in love with your blog – added to my blog roll!
Tash xx
Thanks Tash! I’m so glad you liked it – and I hope you try the recipe and love it!
Yummy! I love a simple weeknight meal. 🙂 Did you have any issues with it being watery because of the zucchini? I’ve baked something similar to this before and it was a watery mess on the bottom. Thanks!
Mine was only slightly watery at the bottom, but when I let it sit it wasn’t an issue. If it’s a really big zucchini you could always salt it first though!
Awesome, thanks for the salt tip!!
Printed and on the menu:)
Thanks Girl!
WOOHOO!!! 🙂
YES. Hello weeknight dinner salvation. Nice to meet you.
HA! I don’t know how I could get used to regular food after the trip you just took. Good luck love!
This sounds lovely! Our growing season is behind here, as we had winter until, like, last week, but I’ll soon be looking for tasty ways to use up one of my most favourite summer treats! (That means baked zucchini with a chaser of zucchini cupcakes…)
Now that’s my kind of chaser! 🙂
Yum! This looks delicious but also really healthy!!
Thanks Liz!!!