Mondays feel like a chance to reset, refresh and savor food that will set the tone for the new week. I’m Michele Sessa, and I’m so incredibly proud to partner with Appetito magazine for my new series, “Mondays with Michele.”
I’ll be celebrating seasonal ingredients with approachable cooking techniques all inspired by my Italian family and love for all things Italian. I’m inviting you to my table to share authentic recipes from generations past and the stories behind them because aren’t food memories the best memories to share?
Growing up in upstate New York, all the women in my life inspired my love for food, family, honoring holiday traditions and developing my own creative spirit. After moving to NYC to pursue a fashion industry career, my creative flair found inspiration from other cultures and cuisines. You will find those bold influences in my Italian recipes that bring a unique twist to the table.
Now that we live in Florida, you’ll get a glimpse of our hydroponic garden and multiple fruit trees that I hope will survive after the cold winter. Our peaches, mangos and star fruit have appeared in crostatas, panzanella salads and seafood dishes and I’ll be hopefully creating more Italian sensations with them here!
Are you looking for a way to incorporate old and new into your friends and family celebrations? This is the place to be, and I look forward to hearing what foods or themes you want to find here. I’ll be cooking and baking both old and newly written recipes for this series, and I hope to make Mondays a fresh start in your kitchen!
To begin the series, I’m making the most of late-summer produce with my zucchini and yellow squash gratin. If your garden is overflowing with different kinds of squash, this crunchy-topped baked dish needs to be in your rotation. The topping is a tasty combination of grated cheese and my homemade Italian breadcrumbs, but you can use store bought breadcrumbs, too. It’s easy enough to make on a weeknight and it's so pretty that you’ll want to add it to your upcoming holiday meals.
Don’t skip salting and patting the squash dry step as it keeps the casserole from getting watery. That’s my special tip for the day!
Editor's Note: You can find more of Michele's Appetito recipes here and also on Instagram @michele7533.
Zucchini And Yellow Squash Gratin
4
servings20
minutes50
minutesIngredients
1 large or 2 small 1 zucchini sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 3 yellow squash sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 tbsp. 1 salt
3/4 tsp. 3/4 garlic powder
1/2 tsp. 1/2 black pepper
- For the topping
1 1/2 tsp. 1 1/2 olive oil plus more to drizzle before baking
1 tbsp. 1 dried oregano
1/2 cup 1/2 grated parmesan
1/2 cup 1/2 Italian breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. 1 chopped fresh parsley
1 cup 1 shredded mozzarella
Directions
- Salt the zucchini and yellow squash slices on paper towel for 15 minutes, then pat them dry so the gratin doesn’t get watery.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and mix dried squash, garlic powder and pepper. Then toss to coat.
- Spray a 9-inch pie pan or 8 x12 pan and layer the squash in a decorative manner, alternating the colors.
- Mix the topping ingredients (except for the mozzarella) in a bowl, and then top the gratin, adding the mozzarella last and drizzle oil on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
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