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By Root 4177 0

without stacking them much more than 1 inch high. Put in the oil and garlic, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook and stir the garlic until it becomes colored a pale gold, then put in the zucchini, together with salt, pepper, and the oregano. Toss thoroughly to coat well, turn the heat up to medium high, and cook until the zucchini rounds are tender, but slightly firm to the bite. Turn them from time to time as they cook. When done, spoon off some, but not all the oil, then transfer the entire contents of the pan to a warm platter and serve at once.

Ahead-of-time note The note at the foot of the preceding recipe applies here as well.

Zucchini Gratin with Tomato and Marjoram

For 6 servings

1½ pounds fresh zucchini

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon chopped garlic

½ cup chopped onion

1 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

Marjoram, ½ teaspoon if fresh, ¼ teaspoon if dried

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

An oven-to-table baking dish

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1. Soak and clean the zucchini, trimming away both ends, and slice them into very thin disks.

2. Preheat oven to 400°.

3. Put half the oil and all the garlic in a saute pan, turn the heat on to medium high, and cook the garlic, stirring, until it begins to be barely colored. Put in the zucchini rounds. Turn them over completely once or twice to coat well, and cook until they are limp, stirring occasionally. Take off heat.

4. Put the onion and remaining oil in a small saucepan, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it becomes translucent, then put in the tomatoes with their juice and the marjoram. Turn the tomatoes over completely once or twice to coat well, and cook at a steady, but gentle simmer until the oil floats free of the tomatoes, about 20 minutes. Take off heat, and swirl in the parsley, salt, and several grindings of pepper.

5. Smear the bottom of the baking dish with a little of the oil in the saucepan. Spread half the zucchini in a level layer on the bottom of the dish, cover with half the tomato sauce from the saucepan, and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan. Make another layer with the remaining zucchini, topping it with the rest of the sauce and the last 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.

6. Place the dish on the uppermost rack of the preheated oven, and bake for 15 minutes or more, until the cheese melts, and the top becomes colored rather brown. After taking the dish out of the oven, allow it to settle for about 10 minutes before bringing it to the table.

Ahead-of-time note You can finish baking the zucchini several hours in advance the same day you are going to serve it. Do not refrigerate. Reheat the dish in the oven.

Zucchini with Tomato and Basil

For 6 servings

1½ pounds fresh zucchini

½ cup onion sliced thin

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons garlic chopped coarse

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

⅔ cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, chopped coarse, with their juice

Salt

Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill

6 or more fresh basil leaves

1. Soak and clean the zucchini, trimming away both ends, and cut them into disks a little less than ½ inch thick.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Choose a flameproof oven-to-table pan, preferably enameled cast-iron ware, put in the onion and oil, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it becomes colored a light gold, then add the garlic. When the garlic becomes colored a very pale gold, add the parsley, stirring it quickly once or twice, then put in the tomatoes with their juice. Cook at a steady, gentle simmer until the oil floats free of the tomatoes, about 20 minutes.

4. Add the sliced zucchini, salt, and pepper, and turn the zucchini over once or twice to coat well. Cook for 5 minutes on top of the stove, then transfer the pan to the uppermost rack of the preheated oven. Cook until the liquid shed by the zucchini dries out, and the zucchini rounds are tender.

5. Take the pan out of the oven. Wash the basil in