Summer veggie bake

Sunday mornings are a welcome respite in our house, spent with online newspapers, coffee and comfortable silence.  It’s the kind of Sunday morning ritual that is comforting in its sameness and a delightful reprieve from the fast pace we keep Monday through Saturday.  Once in a while, when the newspapers have little to offer, we allow our Sunday morning solace to be broken by the FoodNetwork or HGTV.  During one of those Sundays, I watched Sunny Anderson make this easy  vegetable side and decided to give it a try.  As usual, I tweaked the recipe for what worked best for me.  Specifically, I doubled the olive oil to ensure that all the bread crumbs were tossed thoroughly to avoid burning in the oven.  And while I didn’t measure exactly, I was likley a little heavy handed on the parmesan too.  The result was a solid side to be served with any protein.

For the base:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 pound zucchini (about one medium), sliced ¼ inch thick

1/2 pound yellow squash (about one medium), sliced ¼ inch thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the topping:

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stem, lightly chopped

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush 1 teaspoon olive oil on the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of zucchini and yellow squash in the dish with an overlapping pattern in rows or a spiral in a pie dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

The zucchini and yellow squash, awaiting their topping

To make the topping: In a bowl, stir together the panko, thyme, Parmesan cheese and season with a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add 1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil and stir until all the breadcrumbs are soaked with the yellow tint of the oil. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the dish and bake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

Topped and ready for the oven