Zucchini Napoleons with Tahini-Nut Cheeze

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

Have you come home from the farmers’ market with a huge zucchini and can’t figure out what to do with it? Elegant, but easy these Zucchini Napoleons with Tahini-Nut Cheeze make good use of a large zucchini to create a stunning entrée. Slices of tender squash are layered with Tahini-Nut Cheeze (below) nestled atop a simple marinara sauce. Yum.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 very large zucchini (3 to 3 ½-inches in diameter at the wide end) or 6 to 8 “eight-ball zucchini
• 1¼ cups prepared vegan marinara sauce, divided, plus more as needed
• 1 recipe Tahini-Nut Cheeze (below)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 3 large slices Italian-style or whole grain bread, torn into chunks (use gluten-free, if needed)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the large end of the zucchini into 12 slices, each about 3 to 3½-inches in diameter and about ¼-inch thick. Slice 6 more slices from the zucchini, each about 2 to 2½-inches in diameter and about ¼-inch thick. (Or alternately, slice each 8-ball zucchini into about 4 to 5 slices, reserving tops and bottoms for another use.)

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch or similarly sized casserole. Arrange the 6 largest zucchini slices in a single layer over top of the sauce. Spread each slice with a generous amount of the Tahini Cheeze. Sprinkle each slice with a dash of sea salt. Top with 6 more zucchini slices and spread each with generous amount of the Tahini Cheeze. Sprinkle each slice with a dash of sea salt. Top each stack with a smaller zucchini slice, and spoon about 2 teaspoons of marinara sauce over the top of each napoleon. Tent with foil, and bake for 35 minutes.

While the napoleons bake, make the bread crumb topping. Put the bread chunks, Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon sea salt into a blender and process into coarse crumbs. Transfer the bread crumbs to a small bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to thoroughly coat the bread crumbs.

Remove the napoleons from the oven, uncover and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and zucchini is tender, checking often and adding a bit more marinara sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish, if it is becoming dry.

Put the casserole on a wire rack and let cool 5 to 7 minutes. Serve 1 napoleon per person, surrounded by pasta, quinoa or brown rice with a bit of the sauce from the bottom of the casserole spooned over the top.

TAHINI-NUT CHEEZE

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

• ½ cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 can (14 to 16 ounces) white kidney beans or your preferred white bean variety, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sesame tahini
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• ½ cup chopped raw cashews (see note) 
• 1 medium clove garlic, chopped
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Put all of the TAHINI-NUT CHEEZE ingredients into a high-performance blending appliance in the order listed. Process until very smooth in texture, occasionally stopping the machine to scrape down the sides. The Tahini Cheeze will be thick. Covered tightly and refrigerated, the Tahini Cheeze will keep up to 2 days.

• Chef's Note: If you prefer, you may soak the cashews before blending them. To do so, put the cashews into a small bowl and pour water over the top to cover. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. Drain, rinse thoroughly, and proceed with recipe as directed.