ZUCCHINE ALLA BESCIAMELLA (BAKED ZUCCHINI WITH BECHAMEL SAUCE)

Original name: Zucchine alla besciamella

Origin: Italy

Ingredients
12 medium-size zucchini, washed and trimmed (spuntate)
750 ml milk
3 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of butter
¼ teaspoon of salt (for bechamel sauce)
1 tablespoon of salt (for boiling zucchini)
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
250 gr fontina cheese, cut in cubes of 1 cm

Preparation
Bring 2 liters of water to boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the whole zucchini and cook them for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the pot and put aside.

Prepare the bechamel sauce: melt the butter in a small pot on medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously until all the flour is absorbed by the butter. Pour in the milk very slowly and continue stirring at medium heat until it starts boiling. Then lower the heat and cook for about 5 minutes more until the bechamel sauce gets thick enough. Finally add the salt, nutmeg and black pepper and the bechamel is ready.

Get the zucchini, cut them in half lengthwise, carve out the central part with the seeds. Place the zucchini at an oven tray. Stuff the carved zucchini with bechamel sauce and add the fontina cheese pieces on top. Cook in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 200 C.