Zucchini Pasta Pancake

One of the things I miss most about having a yard of my own is my garden. How can you beat all of those homegrown summer veggies? And while the season for that is ending, I've still been hearing people ask what to do with the zucchini that continues to fill their kitchens to the brim.


To be honest, this recipe started out as something cheap and convenient. I had most of what I needed, and I really wasn't expecting much more than to be fed quickly. I was very pleasantly surprised with the outcome, these were delicious! And it wasn't just me and my husband that thought so. Our kids gobbled them down faster than we could flip more up for them. They were just delicious slathered in marinara and Parmesan. I highly recommend these veggie packed flap jacks.

Zucchini Pasta Pancake
Adapted from Cooking Light July 2011

Ingredients

3 cups shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (8-ounce) package angel hair pasta, broken into 3-inch pieces, I used Orzo
1/2 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce
1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Place zucchini in a colander, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well. Drain for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Press zucchini between paper towels until barely moist.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

3. Bring marinara to a simmer in a small saucepan; keep warm.

4. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, flour, and the next 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Add zucchini and pasta to bowl; toss well.

5. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini mixture to pan, pressing down. The recipe originally says to cook it all as one big pancake, but it worked better for us to do smaller ones one at a time. Cook for 5 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Carefully turn pancake over; cook 5 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. I loved them extra crispy. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve with marinara.