Zucchini with Goat Cheese

Zucchini with goat cheese is a simple and delicious dish that can be prepared in a short time. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• Zucchini, 2-3 depending on size
• Fresh goat cheese, 200 g
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Salt, as needed
• Black pepper, as needed
• Fresh aromatic herbs (basil, thyme, mint), as needed
• Garlic, 1 clove (optional)

Preparation

1. Wash the zucchini and slice them into rounds about half a centimeter thick.
2. In a large pan, heat a little extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, add a garlic clove to flavor the oil.
3. Add the sliced zucchini to the pan and let them sauté until they are golden on both sides. Season with salt and pepper during cooking.
4. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 °C (grill mode, if available).
5. Once the zucchini are golden, arrange them in an oven dish forming a single layer or slightly overlapping.
6. Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the zucchini.
7. Bake the dish and let it gratinate until the goat cheese is slightly golden and bubbling, it will take about 5-10 minutes, depending on the power of your oven.
8. Remove the gratinated zucchini from the oven and garnish with finely chopped fresh aromatic herbs.
9. Serve immediately.

The zucchini with goat cheese can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or as a light main course, perhaps accompanied by a slice of rustic bread to soak up the flavorful aromatic oil released during cooking.

To give an even stronger Italian touch, you might add some grated Parmesan cheese together with the goat cheese before baking, to get an even tastier and crispier crust. Or you could flavor the zucchini with a bit of fried smoked pancetta, for a less light but definitely tasty version.