This dish is a bit of home on my plate. If you have a garden bursting with zucchini, this is your new best friend and it can be served a variety of ways throughout the week. The recipe isn’t fussy and the ingredient amounts are completely flexible. I’ve never followed a recipe, just watched my mom doing it and made it my own. Here’s my basic recipe but please feel free to improvise!

• 1 can of Italian peeled tomatoes – 22.2 ounces. I used Gustarosso San Marzano tomatoes
• 4 small zucchini – cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 small yellow onion. Cut in quarters and thinly sliced.
• 2 large peeled cloves of garlic – minced
• 2 bay leaves
• Several pinches of fresh thyme – more if you like it that way (basil or rosemary is good too)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil

Gently sauté the zucchini with the olive oil in the bottom of a heavy pot. The goal is to heat the zucchini not to brown it. When the zucchini starts to look a bit translucent, add the onions and continue to cooking until the onions have softened. If you need more olive oil, go ahead and add it. Open the can of tomatoes and take them out by hand, several at a time, squishing the tomatoes through your fingers and dropping them into the pot. When finished, dump the rest of the tomato juice into the pot. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, pepper and a couple pinches of salt. Simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes to an hour. Stir infrequently making sure nothing is burning. The zucchini should be soft but hold their shape nicely – not mushy and the tomato sauce will cook down and the flavors will come together. Serve in a bowl with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

I love to eat it when freshly cooked on it’s own, but it’s also good tossed into pasta. Try frying an egg in it or having it as a side dish. Buon appetito!