I have such an over abundance of zucchini right now that I need to make something with them. They’re a somewhat boring vegetable, but just about any cooking technique can be used, and any other ingredients can be added, to make the humble zucchini shine. I chose to make a gratin with Gruyère, because I love cheesy gratins!
I served the gratin with a tomato salad to celebrate the end of summer. And the end of my garden.
There’s not much liquid in the gratin because it is a gratin, not a quiche.
A Simple Zucchini Gratin
5 small-to-medium zucchini, washed, de-stemmed
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
6 ounces Gruyère, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9” round springform pan with a removable bottom.
Using a mandoline, and a silver mesh glove, thinly slice the zucchini. Make sure the slices are intact, and not partial slices.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Then add the remaining ingredients, stir well, then carefully add the zucchini slices. Try to coat the zucchini as much as possible while being gentle.
Place the zucchini mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned, and there’s no more liquid.
Let sit for 15 minutes. If cool enough, remove the side of the pan.
Gently slice into pie shapes and serve warm.
Certainly other cheeses can be used in gratins in general, like fontina, smoked mozzarella, raclette, reblochon, or cheddar and Monterrey jack.