ZUCCHINE TONDE, PICCANTI E GRATINATE or SIMPLE OVEN BAKED HOT ZUCCHINI

Zucchini are (is?) often used as an index of the inflation of prices here in Italy but now as the summer is here I wonder if it really works that well. So many people around where I live have their own little vegetable patches or they have parents with one that I wonder if it is possible to base it on vegetables. We don’t have one because I refuse to take care of that as well and apart from that, we usually go to Sweden when it begins to yield its produce so it would be a lot of work for nothing. But I have neighbours with vegetable gardens and they are usually quite generous and share with us. Unfortunately that time hasn’t come yet so I have to buy my vegetables but soon...



ZUCCHINE TONDE, PICCANTI E GRATINATE or SIMPLE OVEN BAKED HOT ZUCCHINI

4-6 globe zucchini or squash
6-8 tomatoes, it depend on how big they are
1-2 dried peperoncinis
1-2 cloves of garlic
Salt
Olive oil

- Cut off the top of the zucchini, about ¼ of the total, and scoop out the meaty part with a small spoon but do it carefully so that you wont break the rind. Do the same with the tops.
- Put them in on oven-proof dish and sprinkle the inside with salt. Bake them in 175° centigrades while you prepare the rest.
- Chop the scooped out zucchini and the tomatoes.
- Heat up the oil together with the garlic and the crumbled peperoncino.
- Add the chopped zucchini and some salt and sauté for 4-5 minutes before you add the tomatoes. Add some sugar as well if the tomatoes are boring.
- Continue to sauté until all the juices have evaporated.
- Take out the zucchinis from the oven and fill them with the tomato and zucchini mix then you put them back into the oven for another 20 minutes approximately.
- Eat them hot or cold, they are good both ways.