Zucchini Bread

Keeping with the theme of “Summers Bounty” and trying to keep up with all of the zucchini’s pouring out of the garden this time of the year, I offer you this classic recipe for Zucchini Bread.

It’s fun to introduce Italians to such an American novelty as Zucchini bread. To us Americans it’s as common as you can get to whip up a loaf of zucchini bread, but to Italians it is a very strange concept. To make a sweet bread with zucchini is strange enough but then you get “all kinds of crazy” by adding cinnamon and walnuts! But I am happy to report that they like it, I mean who doesn’t like zucchini bread? So if you go wandering in your August veggie garden and find a zucchini the size of a baseball bat, you will know what to do with it! Make a batch of zucchini bread!

I don’t like to add all of the oil that is called for in the recipe so I always substitute a 1/2 cup of yogurt and a 1/2 cup of oil. It doesn’t matter if it is a fruit flavor or plain yogurt, whatever you have is fine. In fact a 1/2 cup of applesauce works too. I choose an oil that doesn’t have a strong taste, I don’t use olive oil for this recipe, I used sunflower oil but use whatever you like is fine.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 oil)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Instruction:

First grate your zucchini with a cheese grater. Put the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Crack in the eggs, add the oil and yogurt if you are using it. Stir until incorporated. Add the grated zucchini and chopped walnuts, stir and pour into a loaf pan, I do t have one here in Italy so I just used a cake pan. I like to oil and dust the pan with flour and cut a piece of wax paper or parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. This keeps it from sticking. Bake in 350 F degree oven for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.