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Here’s another dish that makes use of our garden’s summer surplus of zucchini. Inspired by the potato, squash & goat cheese gratin recipe from the The Kitchn, except that I reversed the proportions of summer squash and potato. And added sweet potato, changed the cheese composition, among one or two other things. 🙂

Use any cheese that would typically work in a gratin. In my case, I had on hand: 2 1/2 ounces leftover fresh mozzarella, 3 1/2 ounces soft goat cheese, and 2 ounces queso fresco. Fontina and gruyère might also work! I also did not have enough potato, so threw in a sweet potato as well. Feel free to substitute other herbs, fresh or dried.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds zucchini
• 1 pound potato or sweet potato; or a mix
• 3 to 4 tablespoons garlic olive oil; regular extra-virgin olive oil is fine, too
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 8 to 9 ounces crumbled or shredded cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup whole milk or half & half
• 1 1/2 to 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF degrees; I used the “convection baking” setting. Grease a 4-quart casserole dish.
2. With a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice the zucchini, potato and/or sweet potato, no more than 1/8-inch thick. In a large bowl, toss the slices with the garlic olive oil.
3. In another bowl, toss the crumbled cheese with the thyme and basil.
4. Put 1/3 of the sliced vegetables into the casserole. Arrange the slices so the layer has a roughly even thickness. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and ground pepper.
5. Spread half of the herbed cheese mix on top of the veggies.
6. Repeat last two steps, with the zucchini-potatoes layer on top.
7. Pour the milk (or half & half) evenly over the casserole. Finally, top with the Parmesan.
8. Cover the dish (foil works if the dish doesn’t have its own lid), and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
   Serve it forth.