It is next to impossible to pass up an oh so tempting platter of battered and fried veggies, so, why not give in?
Especially when these veggies are battered (just a bit) and then baked to a pretty darned tasty perfection.
All you need is one zucchini – yes – that platter is one average zucchini – some egg, seasoned flour, panko crumbs, and a baking pan with a rack (well, you don’t have to have the pan with the rack, but it helps).
INGREDIENTS
•1 zucchini
•1/2 cup flour
•1/2 tsp seasoned salt
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•2 eggs
•2 tbsp milk
•1 tsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Pepper Sauce (or your preferred hot sauce)
•1-1/2 cup panko crumbs
•1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Trim the ends off the zucchini, cut it in half, then slice the halves into sticks.
Preheat oven to 425º, line a baking pan with foil and (if you have one) insert the rack that fits the pan. Lightly apply cooking spray to the rack – or to the foil lined pan, if that’s all you’ve got.
Am I beating this rack thing to death? Seriously, get yourself a half sheet baking pan and the rack that fits it – heck, get two; you’re gonna love having them.
Combine the flour together with the seasoned salt and pepper and place in a shallow bowl.
Whisk the eggs together with the milk and Cajun Power sauce in a shallow bowl and place next to the seasoned flour.
Combine the panko together with the cheese in another shallow bowl (promise, this is the last of the shallow bowls), and place next to the egg and milk mixture.
Dredge the zucchini slices in the seasoned flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour, then dip them in the egg mixture, turning to get all sides moistened, then roll them in the panko and cheese mixture, patting the slices lightly so that the panko will stick.
Arrange the now nicely coated zucchini sticks in a single layer on the prepared rack and pop into the oven for 15 minutes.
Turn the zucchini sticks over and return to the oven for another 10 or 12 minutes, until golden brown and kinda crispity.
We had ours with some oven fried pork chops (no reason to let that seasoned flour, egg mixture, and panko crumbs go to waste) a broccoli coleslaw, and some of my new favorite buttermilk dressing the zucchini and the chops.
Tasty.
Pretty simple to toss together.
And not too, too bad for you.