This is one of my favorite ways to cook zucchini. It all melts into itself and becomes almost spreadable. This topping is also fantastic on pasta (of course).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing the bread
- 1½ pounds zucchini, yellow summer squash, or a mix, sliced into paper-thin rounds with a mandoline
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 small garlic clove, pressed into a paste with a garlic press or the side of a knife
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 to 10 slices baguette or 6 to 8 slices ciabatta or country-style bread, sliced ½ inch thick
How to Make It
- Preheat the broiler to 450°F or medium-high, depending on your broiler options.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, a few handfuls at a time, sprinkling it with the salt as you go. Shuffle the zucchini with a spatula to give it contact with the hot pan, then add more, repeating until all the squash is in the pan. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the zucchini melts together and begins to color, 8 to 10 minutes. If it begins to burn or stick on the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat to medium. When the zucchini is melted together in a soft, nearly spreadable mess, take it off the heat. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, cheese, and lots of pepper.
- Meanwhile, lay the bread on a baking sheet and use a pastry brush to lightly paint the tops of each toast with olive oil. Toast under the broiler until the bread begins to color, 1 to 3 minutes (depending on the heat of your broiler). Flip the bread and toast until the second side is colored, 30 seconds. Transfer the toasts to a serving plate, olive-oil-side up.
- Spoon the zucchini mixture onto the toasts.