SERVES 4
These “fries” are baked until crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. Zucchini fries are a lighter alternative to standard fries; they satisfy that urge for potatoes without leaving you with a heavy, carb-overload feeling, and they give you more room to enjoy your main. The recipe easily doubles to fill up more than one pan; as they are quite addictive, scaling up might be in order.
1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
1 pound baby zucchini, trimmed
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
PREHEAT the oven to 425°F.
PREPARE a sheet pan with an ovenproof rack; brush the rack with olive oil.
CUT the zucchini into 3-inch sticks to resemble a medium-thick french fry.
PLACE the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Place the egg in another shallow dish and whisk in 1 teaspoon of oil. In a third dish combine the panko and paprika.
SEASON the zucchini with salt and pepper. Working in batches, dredge the zucchini in the flour, shaking off excess, then coat in egg-oil mixture and cover in the breadcrumb mixture.
PLACE the breaded zucchini sticks on the prepared wire rack, leaving space between each fry. Lightly drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy.