I love fried zucchini (what's not to love?) and am constantly being tempted by recipes that promise the same taste from an oven rather than a deep fryer. I try and try these recipes but the result is always soggy. Each time I vow to give up on the idea but then I find myself staring at a recipe's photo that looks so...so...crispy and I fall for it again.
After the latest failure I was still left with half a bowl of batter and it seemed such a waste. The original batter was too eggy but I had tweaked the recipe and the new one tasted fine. It finally occurred to me, if the zucchini was always soggy, to just try it with a different vegetable. Broccoli, usually on hand in my crisper, seemed a likely candidate so I tried it and found a winner! And so, goodbye failed oven-fried zucchini and hello delicious oven-fried broccoli. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 Small head or half a large head of broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup low-fat milk
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
2 oz. Grated Parmesan cheese, divided
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, egg, oil, baking powder, salt, pepper and 1 oz. of the grated cheese. Dip the broccoli floerets in the batter and spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes, flip the floerets and continue baking for another 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Top with the remaining grated cheese and serve either as a vegetable side dish or a cocktail snack with your favorite dip.
What an interesting idea! Looks lovely!
ReplyDeleteOh I need to try this, I like oven fried cauliflower. So delish and healthy!!
ReplyDeleteA neat little twist on broccoli. It's like finger food! Toss away those chips and enjoy the "Fried" Broc! Love it :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks great! Any sub ideas for the cheese?
ReplyDeleteHi Adrienne,
ReplyDeleteAre you not a fan of Parmesan? For this recipe, the cheese is acting as a sharp flavoring. You can substitute other hard, grating cheeses like Romano or Asiago. If you're looking for the same texture but a slightly milder flavor you could try Grana Padano but I would avoid soft, melting cheeses like mozzarella or cheddar. I hope that helps.
This looks so yummy. I like that it's not fried. I bet this would be great with some different spices in the batter, too.
ReplyDelete