Anticipating zucchini season, when we all have too many of them, here’s an easy vegetarian dinner that uses up a bunch. And with jarred marinara sauce and pre-shredded mozzarella and Parmesan, the only time consuming part of this is the dredge and fry—but, oh! is it worth it! I’d add little to this other than dropping a bunch of Italian seasoning into the breadcrumbs—they never are seasoned enough for me. Maybe add a touch of garlic powder, too. And be sure to use a high-quality marinara; Rao’s works well.

From Cooking Curiosity.

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise

2 cups marinara sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

· Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly salt the zucchini slices and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat them dry with paper towels.

· Place flour in one shallow dish, beaten eggs in another, and breadcrumbs in a third. Dredge each zucchini slice in flour, dip in the eggs, then coat with breadcrumbs.

· Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the zucchini slices in batches until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

· In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce. Layer the fried zucchini slices over the sauce, then sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers (zucchini, marinara, cheese) until all the zucchini is used, ending with a layer of sauce and cheese on top.

· Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

· Let the zucchini parmigiana rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and enjoy!