Serves: 12
Although zucchini and basil are available all year round, this dish is best in the summer when both are at their peak. We can’t think of a better lunch on a hot day, served with a large salad on the side, with everyone gathered around a table in the shade.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2½ lb. (1.2 kg) zucchini
- 4 new garlic cloves
- Leaves from 1 bunch basil
- 12 eggs
- 2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp white bread crumbs
- 1 cup (3½ oz./100 g) finely grated Parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C/Gas mark 2). Grease two 9-in. (22-cm) round baking dishes (preferably porcelain) with a little of the olive oil.
2Wash the zucchini and cut off the ends. Grate, using a food processor fitted with the coarse shredding disk or on the large holes of a box grater. Peel the garlic, remove the germs, and finely chop. Wash, dry, and finely chop the basil.
3Set two large skillets over high heat. When they are hot, add the rest of the olive oil and zucchini. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not golden. Season lightly with salt and then remove from the heat.
4Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with a fork. Whisk in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Take the skillets off the heat, add the garlic, basil, and parsley to the zucchini, and stir for 30 seconds. Add the bread crumbs and stir for 30 seconds more.
5Return the skillets to the burners and reduce the heat to medium-low. Divide the eggs equally between the skillets and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are lightly set (about 1 minute). Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, and pour into the baking dishes. Bake for 25 minutes, until set and golden on top. Serve hot or warm from the baking dishes.
Extracted from Enjoy: Recipes for Memorable Gatherings by Perla Servan-Schreiber (Flammarion, 2020).
