Zucchini Grilled Cheese
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
0 out of 5 stars
(0)
Ingredients
4 sandwiches
- 1 pound (about 2 large) zucchini or other summer squash, trimmed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea or table salt, plus more if needed
- 1 cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) coarsely grated gruyere cheese
- 3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces or 70 grams) coarsely grated fontina or provolone cheese
- 1/4 cup (20 grams) finely grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 thin slices bread of your choice, I used a country-style white bread
- A couple tablespoons softened butter or olive oil for brushing bread
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Preparation
Step 1
Prepare zucchini: Use a food processor with a grater attachment or the large holes of a box grater to grate the zucchini. In a large colander, toss together the zucchini and salt. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, until the zucchini has wilted and begun to release liquid. Drain the zucchini in a colander and then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as possible, a fistful at a time. Place wrung-out zucchini on paper towels to drain further.
Step 2
Make filling and assemble sandwiches: Mix zucchini with grated cheese, a lot of freshly ground black pepper, and more salt if needed.
Step 3
Brush or spread the bread sides that will form the outsides of the sandwiches with olive oil or softened butter. Spread zucchini-cheese on insides and close the sandwiches.
Step 4
Cook the sandwiches: Place sandwiches on a large griddle or frying pan over low-medium heat. I like to cook grilled cheese slowly to give the centers a chance to really melt before the outsides get too brown. When the undersides are a deep golden brown, flip the sandwiches and cook until the color underneath matches the lid. Cut sandwiches in half and dig in.
Step 5
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Chef's notes
For a to-go meal, grilled cheese-style is the way to go. For a meal at home, I prefer these open-faced; you could run them under the broiler for a toastier finish. The oven instructions for these tartines should work equally well here.
You can use a mix of any cheeses — although a couple that melt well is ideal for sandwich adherence — you like with zucchini, I’ve suggested three here. All gruyere (2 cups) works well too, as it did in the earlier pizza.
