Whether you are cooking from your garden, the farmers’ market or the grocery store shelves, these stacks make use of the end-of-summer abundance of zucchini, ripe tomatoes and basil.
But this recipe is about more than just immediate gratification. It makes enough pesto to stash away for colder months: spoon it into ice cube trays to freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag. (Use the pesto on pasta or rice, of course, but also: throw a cube into soup or stew, smear it on bread or pizza dough, slide it under the skin of chicken, or crust fish with it.)
| Servings 4 | |
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- 2 medium zucchinin (about 20 ounces), sliced across on the diagonal
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella, divided
- 3 small tomatoes, about 16 ounces, cut in 1/4-inch slices
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- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a shallow baking sheet pan with cooking spray.
- Combine the basil and walnuts in the food processor and pulse; with the machine running, add the oil and water in a slow steady stream. Add the parmesan, pulse to combine and set aside.
- Lay the zucchini out in a single layer on the baking sheet and season with the salt. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the shredded mozzarella on the zucchini. Top with a tomato slice. Spread each tomato with about 1 teaspoon pesto and top with the remaining mozzarella.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and golden and the zucchini is fork tender, about 22 minutes.
Nutrition per serving:
| 225 calories | 11g protein | 3g fiber | 17g fat | 5g saturated fat | 392mg sodium |
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