Rosalie's Padella

Our garden has been churning out zucchini like there's no tomorrow.  I'm almost to the point of "I never want to see another zucchini again". However I am really enjoying this very easy sausage, tomato, zucchini dish.  You can't go wrong with an easy dinner, that everyone enjoys and best of all there is only 1 skillet to wash!

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

8 ounces Italian sausage

3 cups stale French bread, torn into about 1 to 2 inch pieces

1 pound tomato, chopped, with juice and seeds

1 pound zucchini, quartered and sliced

1/4 cup basil, leaves only, torn into small pieces

Salt and pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté olive oil, onion, garlic and sausage. Sauté for about 8 minutes, or until meat is brown and onion and garlic are softened. Drain excess oil from the pan so there is about 2 tablespoons remaining.

Add chopped zucchini to the pan with the sausage. Increase heat to medium high, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini is just beginning to soften. Add tomatoes and their juice, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes begin to release more of their juice in the pan.

Toss the French bread into the pan, stirring the bread so it begins to absorb the cooking juices. Add salt and pepper and continue to cook until all the vegetables are tender, and the mixture starts to appear drier and the bread is heated all the way through, about 6 minutes more.

Toss in the torn basil leaves at the last minute.  Divide onto plates and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

Recipe: Rosalie's padella.  Laura Gilliam  

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

2 - 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes in juice
¹⁄₂ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper

In a blender, purée the tomatoes with their juice until almost smooth.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the tomato purée, oregano, basil and sugar.  Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium and continue simmering until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

The sauce may be made 1 day ahead or double the recipe and freeze the extra in small portions to use as needed.

Makes about 6 cups.

Adapted slightly from Giada de Laurentiis', giada's family dinners