Switzerland’s Scrumptious Surprises: Zucchini Treasure Chest

Serves 6
Discover a zucchini treasure chest filled with tagliatelle della casa from “The Treasure Hunt” menu.

Green Tagliatelle

• 1^_1/3 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• Dash salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pesto sauce (homemade or prepared)

1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, eggs, salt, oil and pesto sauce.
2. Using a pasta machine, set to correct setting for tagliatelle and feed dough through the machine.
3. To cook, blanch the pasta in 5 quarts of boiling, salted water.

Brunoise (vegetable filling)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 green zucchini, finely diced
• 3 yellow squash, finely diced
• 3 tomatoes, seeded and cubed
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped candied citron peel (or candied lemon peel)
• 2 tablespoons chopped peppermint
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
2. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes and shallot, and sauté briefly, just until heated through and slightly softened.
3. Cool the mixture, then stir in the lemon peel, mint, salt and pepper.

Parmesan Tiles

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 large egg white
• 1^_1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Dash of salt

1. Mix all ingredients. Pinch off dough in small handfuls and shape and roll into a roughly rectangular looking piece resembling a slate roof tile.
2. Place the tiles on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes at 250 degrees.

Zucchini Decoration

• 6 round zucchini, or other round squash
• Salt, to taste
• 12 zucchini florets
• A few flowers, such as sage or nasturtiums

1. Cut the stem off the zucchini and cut a bit from the bottom so they stand up straight on the plate. Hollow out the zucchini and steam with some salt for 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Using a double boiler, warm up the Tagliatelle and the Brunoise together with some butter to keep it from sticking to the pan, then fill the hollow zucchini with the mixture.
3. Cover with the Parmesan roof tiles and decorate with the zucchini florets and other flowers.

Sibylle Hechtel is a freelance writer from Colorado. She wrote about her native German cuisine in the December 2000/January 2001 issue of The Herb Companion.

Click here for the original article, Switzerland’s Scrumptious Surprises.