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This week's harvest consisted of sweet corn, cucumbers, blueberries, lettuce, crookneck squash, and zucchini.  While I have tons to say about sweet corn, cucumbers, blueberries, et al, I think it makes sense to continue with zucchini.

The video this week is about how to clean zucchini - I am actually demonstrating this myself, so apologies in advance if the video quality is a bit rough! 

I am sharing a family recipe for a zucchini main dish that I learned from my grandmother.  I make and freeze ALOT of these during the summer, so that I am always ready for a quick meal all year round.  This is one of those recipes that while it's baking, the house smells like "love" to me, as I remember my childhood.

The newsletter deal this week is 20% off the Cestari multitool, which includes a grater and a measuring cup - both will come in handy for this weeks recipe.

And remember that PRIME DAY starts today.  There will be lots of great deals on Amazon, including savings of 50% off the Cestari Pasta Machine.  If you aren't a prime member, but want to scoop up the deals today and tomorrow, you can get a 30 DAY free trial here.

Best,

Susan

What are Zucchini Perpetties?  There's a bit of a story here.  My grandmother, who was my first cooking teacher, was Ukrainian.  She was orphaned at age 7, and didn't really learn to cook until she married my grandfather and joined the Cestari family.  Her mother-in-law, Elisa, and her sister-in-law, Flora, were here first cooking teachers.  So, while she learned to cook from Calabrian women, she was not Italian by birth.  The Italian word "polpettone" usually refers to ground meat mixed with bread and cheese and shaped - it could be a meatloaf, meat balls, or even something like salisbury steak.  I expect that the word "Perpetties" is a corruption of the Italian "polpettone"...but that's what Gram called them, and that's how it is written on the recipe card - so that is what they are.  Feel free to call them whatever you like, but I hope you enjoy them!

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini ( a medium zucchini is about 6 ounces, so this is about a pound and a half)

2 pounds of ground beef

8 slices stale bread (Italian bread has the right consistency - you want a dense bread for these)

1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

salt and pepper

Directions:

• Grate the zucchini and put into a strainer over a bowl to drain for about an hour. 
• Soak the bread in water, and squeeze to soften.
• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
• Shape into patties about 3-4 inches in diameter.(If you're cooking for toddlers, smaller is better as you can refer to them as meatballs)
• Brown the patiies on both sides.  I saute them with nonstick spray, Gram used butter, and my sister just browns then in the oven.  You are just browning them at this point, not cooking them through.
• After browning, you can freeze them for future use - I place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours, then vacuum seal them in meal-sized portions.
• When ready to use them, you can bake them covered with a can of crushed tomatoes, or some tomato sauce - whatever you prefer.  If frozen, they'll take about an hour or so at 350, depending on how large you've made them.  I have also used a slow cooker for 4- 5 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low.

Save 20% on Cestari's Multi Tool which includes a grater that you can use to grate the zucchini and cheese for the perpetties as well as a measuring cup and more! Save 20% with code ZUCCHINIGRTE through July 23 at the Cestari store on Amazon

Sophia from Boston suggests , "For a fun twist, try making zucchini fries. Coat zucchini strips in breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, then bake or airfry until crispy."

Max from Denver advises, "When grilling zucchini, use a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs to infuse it with extra flavor."

Olivia from Portland shares, "Shredded zucchini can be added to pancake batter for a nutritious breakfast option that kids love."

Jack from Atlanta comments, "For a hearty main dish, hollow out zucchini and stuff it with a mixture of quinoa, vegetables, and cheese before baking."

Mia from Nashville mentions, "Zucchini can be sliced thinly and used as a low-carb substitute for lasagna noodles. Layer it with ricotta, marinara sauce, and mozzarella for a delicious lasagna."

The winner of this week's Free Cestari Product is Sharon Sarvela . Please select your product from the Cestari Store on Amazon, and send us an email at support@cestarikitchen.com letting us know what you'd like, and where we should ship it.

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