Ingredients
- Large unblemished zucchini (10 pounds fresh zucchini yields approximately 10 ounces dried zucchini)
- Sheets of heavy cardboard
Preparation
- Cut the zucchini crosswise into 4- to 5-inch chunks, then cut each chunk in half lengthwise. If the zucchini have obvious seed cavities with noticeable seeds, use a small spoon to hollow out the seed cavity. Slice all the zucchini crosswise about 1/4 inch thick.
- Top the cardboard sheets with clean kitchen towels. Place the zucchini slices on the towels so that the slices aren’t touching. Put the cardboard sheets on a table in a sunny spot outdoors.
- Let dry for 24 hours, then turn the slices over and let dry for another 24 hours. Turn again and let dry for a third day. In hot, sunny weather, the zucchini should be completely dry in three days. If not, keep them under the sun, turning daily, until fully dry and slightly leathery.
- Transfer to a paper bag or plastic food-storage bag and keep in a cool, dark area or in the freezer.
Recipe courtesy of Rosetta Costantino. From My Calabria: Rustic Family Cooking from Italy’s Undiscovered South by Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher, W.W. Norton & Company, 2010