It is an excellent dish and, as you say, it can be used as a main dish, for vegetarians and also as a side dish. Try to make the same recipe using aubergines instead of zucchini, or a mixture of the two. You can also add some sliced olives, but be careful with the salt you add to the dish. Another variation would be to add a good layer of grated parmesan cheese on top once the vegetables are fully cooked and put it under the grill until the cheese melts and makes a crust.

I also add a tablespoon of chopped basil.

This is very much like the recipe given to me by a friend whose father was born in Calabria. Diced potato, any vegetables you might want to put in, but only a splash of olive oil, some herbs, a tin of tomatos  and then slowly bake covered in the oven. Very easy and can be left alone whilst you get on with something else. Good idea to make full use of the oven so I would roast some chicken pieces in herbs and olive oil, and bake some figs in vinto cotto.Then you are free to sit outside with a glass or two of wine.!

A

Sounds really delicious. Must try it.

You are right Angie, we tend to cook just the one dish, with plenty of space around in the oven and forget that we can make a better use of it.

What I would actually do, would be to make two smaller vegetable casseroles at the same time, eat one and freeze the other. This kind of dish will freeze very well. In the remaining space, I would cook one or two "polpetone" which is the Italian version of the meat loaf , and it is very easy to make, plus you can eat it both hot and cold. Here is how you do it:

In a large glass bowl, mix the following ingredients:

400 g (or about 1 lb) minced veal

400 g minced pork

100 g chopped prosciutto or pancetta

1 small onion chopped

3 tablespoons grated carrot

4 tablespoons bread crumbs

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons mixed Tuscan herbs

4 tablespoons sliced olives

salt and pepper to taste

1 beaten egg

Mix the lot and put in an oiled loaf tin or container and bake at 190ºC (equivalent to 400 F) for 35-45 minutes.

Eat it hot with the vegetable casserole or cold with a salad.

Enjoy!

Very good, I doubled the amount of dried oregano and added a can of drained and rinsed white beans.  I'm hooked !

 This is what I do with my Zucchini as we have loads.

3-4 small zucchini sliced about 1/4 -1/2 "

Butter

1 largish tomato chopped into small cube

sachet saffron powder

2 garlic cloves chopped

small teaspoon of chilli oil ( less if preferred)

grated parmesan or pecorino

spaghetti for 2

Melt butter, add zuccs, fry till golden...slowly without burning butter

add garlic..cook

add tomato. place lid on to melt tom into a juice

add chilli oil, or olive oil. add saffron

Salt & pepper...i stir in some of my home-made basil oil

Cook till it melds into a thick sauce, add a handful of parmesan

Pour over pasta add  more parmesan if needed & eat

Very quick lunch

Sprat

I did stuffed zucchini flowers the other night, with the baby zucchini still attached. Stuffed with mozzerella and fresh basil, dipped in seasoned flour, then egg, then flour again and deep fried in about a minute or so. I split the bodies up the middle and they came out fully cooked but still with a crunch, made a lovely starter.

The recipe said - "open the flowers and shake out any insects" - sure enough, one of them had been home to a sizeable spider.

But don't let me put you off .............

Terry

The trick with zucchine flowers is to collect them in the sunny morning when they are fully opened, that will let you carry less insects with you back home :-) 

Sabs