Zucchini in panko and pecorino
Crispy zucchini slices in panko and pecorino is a dish that never disappoints with its taste. This zucchini is fried in oil, breaded in panko and pecorino, then served with a quick tomato sauce. The whole thing tastes amazing. Panko, otherwise known as Japanese breadcrumbs, is made from steamed pieces of crustless bread. The next step is to crush the bread into flakes and then dry them. This is a definite difference between breadcrumbs, because those are made from dry bread that is finely ground or grated. Thanks to the large flakes, panko is crunchy, which is why it works great in coatings.
The panko and pecorino coating is the perfect complement to the mild zucchini flavour. Pecorino is an Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk, which has a slightly spicy taste. It is lighter in colour and creamier than parmesan, mainly because parmesan takes a little longer to mature. The addition of cheese to the coating makes the zucchini acquire a distinct, intense and cheese flavour and aroma. You can serve this simple zucchini dish with a tomato sauce that I make from canned tomatoes, basil and seasonings. I buy tomatoes in a can that are already cut, so I don’t have to spend extra time on cutting or chopping them. Zucchini prepared in this way is great as a snack, dinner or lunch dish. It can be served by itself or as an addition to other dishes. I encourage you to check this recipe for zucchini in panko and pecorino and I wish you a tasty meal.
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Ingredients for zucchini in panko and pecorino.
- 300 g zucchini
- 80 g pecorino cheese
- 60 g panko
- 2 eggs “S”
- 2 tablespoons of plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- oil for frying
Tomato sauce:
- 400 g canned tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- a pinch of black pepper
- a big bunch of basil
How to make zucchini in panko and pecorino.
Cut the zucchini into 0.5 cm thick slices. Sprinkle each slice with salt, pepper and flour. In a bowl, mix the grated pecorino cheese and panko. Crack the eggs into a small plate and beat them with a fork. Cover the zucchini slices previously sprinkled in flour in the egg bath, then in the panko and pecorino mixture.
Pour the oil into a frying pan, heat it up and when it’s hot, put the breaded slices of zucchini. Fry the zucchini until golden brown over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Place the fried zucchini on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Pour the diced canned tomatoes into a pot, add salt, pepper and finely chopped basil leaves. Bring them to a boil and keep on a low heat for 5 minutes. After that, remove it from the heat and cool it down.
Serve the fried zucchini slices with tomato sauce.
Good to know when making zucchini in panko and pecorino.
I do not peel the zucchini, I just wash it thoroughly and dry it with a paper towel. Cut the larger zucchini slices in half. Young zucchini are best for this dish, as they do not contain large seeds.
After dipping the zucchini in the egg bath, I roll it in panko and pecorino. I always press the coating lightly with my fingers, so that it covers the zucchini as well as possible.
There should be enough oil in the frying pan for the zucchini to fry freely in it, but it does not have to float in it.
From the given amounts of ingredients you will be able to make about 12 slices of zucchini. Everything, of course, depends on the size of the zucchini, because smaller zucchini will give more slices, which, however, will be smaller in size.
When tomatoes are in season, you can replace the canned ones with fresh tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes, however, will need to cook a little longer than 5 minutes.
Do you like fried zucchini? If so, try our recipe for Zucchini cakes.
