Hazan's zucchini preparations — fried, braised, grilled, or baked — demonstrate the Italian principle that each vegetable has a specific treatment that expresses it best, and the cook's job is to identify and apply that treatment rather than impose a method on the ingredient.
**Zucchini fritte:** - Sliced 5mm thick, salted, drained for 30 minutes — the salting draws out excess moisture, allowing the zucchini to fry (Maillard reactions) rather than steam in the oil. - The dredge: flour only, shaken off excess. Not egg; not breadcrumb. - Oil at 175°C. The zucchini should be golden within 2–3 minutes — any longer and it absorbs oil rather than crisping. **Zucchini al pomodoro:** - Sliced zucchini, soffritto base, briefly sautéed, tomato added and cooked until the tomato sauce has thickened around the zucchini. The zucchini should be tender but not collapsed. **Zucchini gratinati:** - Layered in a baking dish with Parmigiano and olive oil, baked at 200°C until the surface is golden and the zucchini completely tender. **The salting principle (applicable to all preparations):** - Sliced zucchini salted and allowed to drain 20–30 minutes before any cooking method — the osmotic withdrawal of moisture produces a firmer, less watery result regardless of subsequent technique.
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