Zucchini slice is a dish common in Australia and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

that bears similarities to frittatas and quick breads. It consists of

zucchini The zucchini (; plural: zucchini or zucchinis), courgette (; plural: courgettes) or baby marrow ('' Cucurbita pepo'') is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp (rind) are s ...

, eggs, cheese, usually bacon, and flour baked to form a flat loaf. It is baked in a flat loaf, cut into squares, and served as a main dish or a side dish and is often eaten for lunch. It is one of a category of similarly-named and -served dishes common in the region, both sweet and savory.

History

In Australia and New Zealand the dish is a "beloved lunchbox staple or café snack", according to the ''New York Times''. It is one of a category of slices, both sweet and savory, common in the region. The dish may have roots in Europe or the Middle East.

Description

''The New York Times'' calls it "a cross between a frittata and savory quick bread". The main flavors are of egg and cheese.

Ingredients, preparation, and serving

The dish combines zucchini, eggs, cheese, flour, and usually bacon, along with seasonings and sometimes other ingredients. The dish takes approximately an hour to produce. The zucchini is grated and combined with the other ingredients into a thick

batter Batter or batters may refer to: Common meanings * Batter (cooking), thin dough that can be easily poured into a pan * Batter (baseball), person whose turn it is to face the pitcher * Batter (cricket), a player who is currently batting * Batter ...

and baked until firm, typically in a Lamington pan. It is served in flat slices, usually warm or at room temperature, and eaten out of hand. It can also be served hot. The dish is typically eaten as an entree or a side dish.

Popularity

The dish is a

staple Staple may refer to: *Staple food, a foodstuff that forms the basic constituent of a diet *Staple (fastener), a small formed metal fastener **Surgical staple Arts, entertainment, and media * Staple (band), a Christian post-hardcore band ** ''Stap ...

in Australia and New Zealand; ''Australian Women's Weekly'' introduces their version with the phrase "No introduction needed" and named it to their 2003 list of six "all time reader favourite meals". According to ''Taste.com.au'', it is their most popular recipe. ''Magic Little Meals'' refers to it as "a favorite with young and old". According to ''More'' it is perennially at the top of online search lists during zucchini season in Australia.

Similar dishes

Dishes similar to the category of slices include bar cookies, frittatas, and sheet cakes. The zucchini slice is most similar to a frittata, although the inclusion of flour makes it according to Lukas Volger similar in texture to "somewhere between a quiche and a savory muffin".

References