Chef Graziella
Cannelloni Ricotta e Spinaci
Hand-rolled pasta sheets wrapped around a filling of ricotta and spinach, covered in besciamella and baked until golden. This is the Sunday cooking of Emilia-Romagna, made without shortcuts.
Culinary Explorer
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Parmigiana di Zucchine
Created by
The summer parmigiana of Campania, where charred zucchini replaces eggplant, proving that restraint and proper technique create dishes as satisfying as any fried indulgence.
Main Dishes
Italian, Neapolitan
Make Ahead
Dinner Party
45 min
Active Time
50 min cook•1 hr 35 min total
Yield6 servings
In Campania, when summer arrives and the eggplants give way to an abundance of zucchini, the home cook adapts. This is not a compromise. This is a different dish entirely, lighter and more delicate, suited to the season when you want something substantial but not heavy.
The zucchini must be grilled, not fried. Some will tell you this makes it a lesser parmigiana. They are wrong. The char adds complexity that fried zucchini cannot match. What you lose in richness, you gain in clarity of flavor. Each component remains distinct: the smoky vegetable, the sweet tomato, the yielding mozzarella, the sharp bite of aged Parmigiano.
The technique matters more here than with eggplant. Zucchini is mostly water. If you do not salt it thoroughly and grill it properly, you will have a soggy mess that cannot hold its shape. But when you do it correctly, when each slice is charred and firm, when the sauce has reduced to the proper consistency, when the mozzarella has been drained of its excess liquid, you will understand why Neapolitan grandmothers have made this dish for generations.
While parmigiana di melanzane claims ancient roots in southern Italy, the zucchini variation emerged as a practical summer adaptation in Campania's home kitchens during the 20th century. As lighter cooking became fashionable, grilling replaced frying, and what began as a thrifty substitution earned its own devoted following along the Amalfi coast and in Naples.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
medium zucchini
Quantity
2 1/2 pounds (about 6)
sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
kosher salt
Quantity
for salting and seasoning
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/4 cup, plus more for brushing
yellow onion
Quantity
1 medium
diced fine
garlic cloves
Quantity
2
crushed and peeled
San Marzano tomatoes
Quantity
1 can (28 ounces)
crushed by hand
fresh basil leaves
Quantity
8, plus more for layering
fresh mozzarella (fior di latte)
Quantity
1 pound
sliced 1/4 inch thick and drained
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1 cup
freshly grated
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| medium zucchinisliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick | 2 1/2 pounds (about 6) |
| kosher salt | for salting and seasoning |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/4 cup, plus more for brushing |
| yellow oniondiced fine | 1 medium |
| garlic clovescrushed and peeled | 2 |
| San Marzano tomatoescrushed by hand | 1 can (28 ounces) |
| fresh basil leaves | 8, plus more for layering |
| fresh mozzarella (fior di latte)sliced 1/4 inch thick and drained | 1 pound |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated | 1 cup |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Grill pan or outdoor grill
- •9 by 13 inch baking dish
- •Wide saucepan for sauce
- •Clean kitchen towels for draining
Instructions
- 1
Salt the zucchini
Lay the zucchini slices in a single layer on clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Salt both sides generously. Let them rest for 30 minutes. The salt draws out moisture, which is essential. Watery zucchini makes a soggy parmigiana. After 30 minutes, blot each slice firmly with fresh towels until no more moisture appears.
Do not skip the salting. Zucchini contains more water than eggplant. Without this step, your parmigiana will weep in the dish and the layers will never set properly. - 2
Make the tomato sauce
In a wide saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until completely soft and pale gold, about 12 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and cook one minute more. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the crushed tomatoes and the basil leaves. Season with salt. Let the sauce simmer gently, uncovered, until it thickens and the raw tomato taste disappears, about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. The sauce should coat a spoon.
- 3
Grill the zucchini
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat. Brush the zucchini slices lightly with olive oil on both sides. Grill in batches until tender and marked with char lines, about 2 minutes per side. The slices should be pliable, not mushy. Transfer to a plate as you work. Do not stack them while hot or they will steam and lose their texture.
A proper char gives the zucchini depth it otherwise lacks. If you must use a broiler, place the slices close to the heat and watch them constantly. Pale, steamed zucchini has no place in this dish. - 4
Drain the mozzarella
Slice the fresh mozzarella and lay the slices on paper towels for at least 15 minutes before assembling. Fresh mozzarella releases liquid as it melts. If you skip this step, you will have a puddle at the bottom of your baking dish.
- 5
Assemble the parmigiana
Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of zucchini slices, overlapping them slightly. Top with sauce, then mozzarella slices, then scattered Parmigiano-Reggiano, then a few torn basil leaves. Repeat the layers: zucchini, sauce, mozzarella, Parmigiano, basil. Finish with a final layer of zucchini topped only with sauce and Parmigiano.
Three layers of zucchini is correct. More makes the dish too tall to cook through properly. Less gives you nothing to cut into. The proportions matter. - 6
Bake until bubbling
Bake uncovered until the top is golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. The cheese should be melted and beginning to brown in spots. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- 7
Rest before serving
Remove from the oven and let the parmigiana rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting. This is not optional. The layers need time to set, the juices need time to redistribute. If you cut it immediately, it will collapse into a heap on the plate. Patience. Scatter a few fresh basil leaves over the top before serving.
Chef Tips
- •Choose zucchini no more than 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Larger ones are seedy and watery in the center. The seeds should be small and barely visible when you slice.
- •Fresh mozzarella means fresh mozzarella. Not the shredded dust in plastic bags. Not the rubbery blocks. Fior di latte, packed in liquid, sliced the day you use it. Mozzarella di bufala is even better if you can find it.
- •This dish improves overnight. Make it the day before your dinner party. Refrigerate it after it cools. Bring to room temperature and reheat gently at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. The flavors will have married.
- •The final layer must be sauce and Parmigiano only, no mozzarella. Exposed mozzarella on top becomes rubbery and brown. It should melt beneath the surface, protected by sauce.
Advance Preparation
- •The tomato sauce can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
- •The zucchini can be grilled several hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or they will become soggy.
- •The assembled, unbaked parmigiana can be refrigerated overnight. Add 10 minutes to the baking time if baking cold.
- •Once baked, the dish keeps three days refrigerated. Reheat at 325 degrees until warmed through, about 25 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 390g)
Calories
490 calories
Total Fat
34 g
Saturated Fat
14 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
20 g
Cholesterol
75 mg
Sodium
990 mg
Total Carbohydrates
19 g
Dietary Fiber
5 g
Sugars
11 g
Protein
28 g
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