GREEN NEW MEAL
Small zucchini make mighty healthy meatballs
Iswear those zucchini I planted are on steroids! You’ve got to get them when they are small, not baseball-size because small means not only tender, but a lot less of those pesky seeds and a not-so-watery texture. If I let my guard down, even for a day, they multiply like rabbits, creating an empire out to conquer my garden.
So I snatch them when they are about 8 inches long. With small zucchini, you can go wild; fry them like potato chips, grate them for a salad, use them as a sauce for pasta, make zucchini fritters, pancakes, muffins, bread and cookies. Use shredded zucchini in frittata, turn it into a crust for pizza and, of course, add it to your smoothie.
My favorite? Zucchini meatballs! They are a cinch to make, are light in texture, taste great, are perfect as an appetizer when made mini size and will satisfy the vegetarians among us. Change the texture by adding pine nuts or raisins, or come up with your own additions. Leftover rice or quinoa could be substituted for the breadcrumbs. Zucchini rules the summer garden!
ZUCCHINI MEATBALLS
2 medium zucchini, shredded on the largest hole on a stand cheese grater
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1¼ c. fresh bread crumbs
½ c. minced fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 t. fine sea salt
1½ t. dried oregano
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
⅔ c. freshly grated pecorino cheese
¼ c. vegetable oil
Flour for rolling
Tomato sauce (optional) Spread the zucchini out on nonstick bake sheets and place them in a preheated 350-degree oven. Turn off the heat and allow zucchini to “dry” out for a couple of hours. This step can be done a day ahead.
In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, oregano, eggs and cheese. Coarsely chop the zucchini and add to the bowl and mix well. Refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
Scoop small amounts of the mixture into your hands and form meatballs the size of a small egg (to make about 18) or make them bigger if you want. Roll the balls in the flour.
In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat, then fry the meatballs, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly, or bake them in an oiled casserole dish in a preheated 350degree oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to tomato sauce (if desired) and serve hot. Serves 8-10. Recipe from “Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy” by Mary Ann Esposito, available at bookstores nationwide and on amazon.com.