Baked Zucchini Rolls

This recipe was born from a need to use up leftover vegetables in my refrigerator--a bit of this and a bit of that. Fortunately, I kept up with quantities and ingredients, because the result was a most delicious vegetarian entree. I reproduced it again recently. One of our dinner guests said that it was one of the most flavorsome dishes that he's ever had. For a world traveler, that is quite a complimentary statement! Thank you, Pat Nolan! You can find the recipe here. I've included photos of all of the steps, which are on the third page. If you don't need them, print pages 1 to 2 only.

My recipe will serve four people when served with a side salad. While they appear to be quite large and dense in the photos, the zucchini rolls are about four inches wide and relatively light and delicate. Yes, there are cheeses in this recipe, but nothing is overwhelmingly filling. Nutritionally, however, they are loaded. We use spinach, onions, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini and extra-virgin olive oil, so all of our nutrition bases are loaded! Get that that recipe here.

This recipe will serve more people when used as an appetizer course. Depending on the number of people at your table, serve this up as your first course with one or two rolls per person.

Low-carb and thoroughly satisfying. I'm eating with fewer starches and sugar in my diet, which is one reason that I find this recipe so comforting. I've made lasagna using eggplant and zucchini, but it just doesn't satisfy they way these dainty rolls do. I hope you'll agree with me.

The most difficult part of this recipe is using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline to make the paper-thin zucchini slices. I slice down to the seeds, make a turn and slice away until I hit seeds again, and repeat. Depending on the size of the zucchini, you will make two to three turns. Vegetables don't come in uniform sizes, and this is why I recommend getting more zucchini than I have in the list of ingredients. Even if the total weight is the same, my zucchini may be thicker and shorter than the zucchini available at your grocery store or farmers market.

Begin by making the sauce in the oven. That's right! No stirring a pot. Put all the sauce ingredients in a large ceramic or glass baking dish and pop that in the oven. The sauce does its thing for 30 minutes while you stuff the zucchini. Easy enough, but it does take a little time.

Grating the tomatoes is genius because you're left with the peel. It's
the way of most Greek women who've learned the old traditions.

Making the rolls.

The sauce that makes itself in the oven.

The rolls are dusted with Parmesan cheese and put back in the oven.
Photo: Pat Nolan

Allow the rolls to cool for 15 minutes before taking to the table.
Photo: Pat Nolan