Zucchini and Ricotta Rolls (aka Rollups, Rollatini, Cannelloni, Rotolo, but without pasta)
take a break from feelings, they’ll still be there when you're done cooking.
Things you’ll need: zucchini, ricotta, basil and other fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, chives, or whatever), lemon zest, (optional cream and chili flake) an egg, marinara (or some other tomatoey sauce), parmesan, mozzarella, olive oil, a mandolin and a safety glove (or a very sharp knife and some patience), salt and pepper (obvi).
just google zucchini plus any of those words and you’ll get a basic framework with measurements and stuff, but the lemon zest idea came from this.
incidentally gluten-free and vegetarian.
Chapter 119
Sometimes you need a project. Whether it’s the monotony of the day-to-day or just the compounded feelings of isolation and melancholia from the 344+ days since you were told to avoid human contact and touch and all the things that you took for granted (the good, the bad, and the deeply mundane).
Sometimes you just need to concentrate on something other than whatever thing runs riot through your brain whenever you stop trying to do everything. Yes, you are supposed to take the time to really unpack and feel whatever that thing is and you will. Probably. Eventually. Well, you plan to, anyway. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll have to. You know that.
But that’s not today. Today you are going to take the time to put a lot of work into something delicious for no other reason than you can (and also to avoid the other stuff).
Start with the zucchini. If you have a mandolin, test a few cuts until you get a strip that is thin enough to eventually roll, but thick enough that it will maintain some integrity after it simmers in sauce for 20-30 minutes.
Here’s the thing though, you need to wear a protective, cut-resistant, safety glove if you plan to use the mandolin. If you have ever thinly shaved off a bit of a finger, you understand why. That’s not a tip, it’s actually mandatory.
Here’s the tip, you are going to have to hold the mandolin up high over the cutting board and apply even pressure as you pull the zucchini (lengthwise) down over the blade, while allowing the zucchini strip to gently tumble to the cutting board, otherwise the strip will try to bend and then break and then it won’t be the perfectly satisfying strip that you desire.
You happen to have extra zucchinis and plenty of time to spend (waste) on prep (avoidance), so try various methods. Attempt to knife cut them all, take out several peelers to see if they work, and various other techniques (distractions). Whatever method you choose, you will not use up the whole zucchini and not all of the strips will be useable, so set the scraps aside for something else later (probably soup).
Once you have plenty of useable strips, lay them flat on some towels and generously salt them. This will help them release water and become pliable enough to roll. Let them sit while you move on to the ricotta.
Start with 2 cups, or 3 cups, or a whole quart of ricotta (pictured product took 3 cups, because a little ricotta had been used for this salad the other day). Grate in some fresh mozzarella (like half a ball or maybe 2-4 ounces) and fresh parmesan. Drizzle in some olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Taste it. Good, right?
Zest in about half a lemon or less. You will be tempted to zest the whole thing (for symmetry and because it’s lemon) and you totally can, but it will only get more lemony when it bakes, so you won’t know how lemony it will be just by tasting. It’s nice and bright and delicious, but more of an add-on than the main event. Move on to the herbs.
If you only have parsley, that’s fine. If you only have basil, that’s fine. If you only have oregano, you get it. If you happen to have many herbs, then thinly slice some chives, parsley and (chiffonade) a whole lotta basil. Maybe bemoan the fact that you don’t have oregano. Mix it all through and taste it. You want it to be pretty herby.
You were smart, but also a little neurotic, about waste and kept many of the broken zucchini bits and strip failures and salted those too, just in case. Rinse off a couple, spoon on the ricotta mix, and taste it again. Add more salt, maybe a little more olive oil or herbs or perhaps cream or Aleppo chili flakes or whatever thing you think to add to make it your own. Once it tastes good, whisk up an egg and mix it through.
Check out your zucchini strips and the amazing way that they are sweating and the staggering amount of water that these strips have released. Because you liberally salted them, they are quite salty (which you know because you are a neurotic genius who decided to keep those broken bits to use for taste testing).
Since some recipes called for blanching but not pre-salting, opt for a hot water rinse as a compromise. Lay the strip out to dry again or simply pat each strip before you get rolling.
Take out an appropriately sized pyrex or other casserole dish and dump in an entire jar of sauce. If you happened to make a sauce, then you likely made a very simple one because the star of the show is really the zucchini and ricotta rolls. Something maybe like a vodka sauce or Arrabbiata or a basic crushed tomato, onion, and basil marinara. You’ll need enough to line the dish without completely submerging the zucchini rolls. Maybe grate in some parmesan or dribble with olive oil or whatever feels good. Once the sauce is in the dish, preheat the oven to 400 and start assembling.
Pat dry a zucchini strip, spoon a Tablespoon or so of ricotta onto one end and then gently roll it up. It’s ok if the ricotta sort of squeezes out along the length of the zucchini strip, just keep gently rolling until it is all tucked away (like whatever feelings you are avoiding). Nestle your little zucchini rose in the sauce and repeat until you are out of ricotta or zucchini strips, whichever comes first. Keep a little bowl of water on the side to rinse your fingers in between rolls to keep it tidy.
Once you’ve rolled and nestled as much as you have, grate parmesan and/or mozzarella over the top of everything and bake it for 20-35 minutes, until the tops of your zucchini rolls are browned, and the sauce is bubbling all over. If you aren’t sure that it is done, you can carefully stick your finger into the middle-most zucchini roll to make sure that it is hot. If it’s not browned enough to your liking, you can broil it for a minute or two. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
If you are not gluten-free, serve with some warm crusty bread, but you don’t really need it.
Feelings are hard and sometimes you need a break. Sometimes you just have to start a project with a definitive beginning, middle, and end because accomplishing something feels like a relief. Get relief where you can. You are doing great. Even when you’re not doing so great, you’re doing well enough.
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