Crispy Zucchini Sticks

I love zucchini! And the recipe I bring you today is perfect for enjoying it. These crispy zucchini sticks are a perfect option to accompany meat, chicken, fried eggs or fish for lunch or dinner. They are also a wonderful snack to nibble on between meals, at any time of day!

Although to eat them crispy it's ideal to eat them freshly cooked, if any are left over (which I seriously doubt) they're a temptation you won't be able to resist until they're gone. If you don't believe me, make them and you'll see.

In this recipe, the cooking of the crispy zucchini sticks is done in the oven; but you can also fry them in your air fryer or in a pan and you'll see the result is equally fabulous, with that crispy, aromatic touch achieved by the mixture of breadcrumbs, herbes de Provence and Parmesan cheese.

An easy and great recipe, with which, in addition to using up slices of stale bread you may have left in the kitchen, you can present a different side dish with your meals or prepare a very impressive snack to dip in cheddar cheese sauce (or any melted cheese), in yogurt sauce or in the delicious tzatziki sauce. Here it is!

Ingredients for 6 people

• 9 slices of sandwich bread*
• 1 and ½ tablespoons of flour
• 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• 1 and ½ teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 and ½ teaspoons of herbes de Provence
• 2/3 teaspoon of salt
• 3 zucchinis
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• Optional: grated Emmental or four-cheese blend, for baking

*If you don't have sandwich bread, you can use slices of your usual bread.

Preparation

1. First, you need to make the breadcrumbs. For this, you can use stale bread or slices of fresh bread. To dry the bread completely, place the slices on a baking tray and put them in the oven preheated to 100 °C for 15 minutes. Turn them over and let them bake for another 15 minutes. If you're using fresh bread, turn them over again and leave them for 15 more minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place the bread in the food processor and chop until fine crumbs form. If you use the KitchenAid P2 cordless chopper, set speed 2 and pulse 10 to 15 times.
3. Put the breadcrumbs on a deep plate or in a bowl and add the flour, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, herbes de Provence and salt. Mix everything well.
4. Wash the zucchinis and cut them into strips or batons. You can do this by hand with a kitchen knife, with a mandoline or with a vegetable cutter.
5. Place a silicone baking mat or a sheet of baking paper on the oven tray and lightly brush with a little extra virgin olive oil.
6. Beat the egg whites until frothy.
7. Dip the zucchini pieces in the beaten egg whites and then in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure they are well coated and impregnated. Place the zucchini strips on the baking tray.
8. If you want to make cheesy crispy sticks, now is the time to sprinkle grated cheese over the zucchini strips (optional).
9. Bake the strips in the oven preheated to 230 °C for 10 minutes. Flip them over and bake another 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

IMPORTANT! If you prefer, instead of making the zucchini sticks in the oven, you can also fry them in a pot, deep pan or cast-iron fryer (the traditional way with oil) or in an air fryer (which have become so popular).

Notes

• In your day-to-day life, don't throw away bread that goes uneaten, is leftover or becomes stale! Let it dry out completely (you can even take advantage of turning on the oven to put it in for a few minutes) and chop it in a food processor or chopper, that way you'll always have breadcrumbs at home for your fry-ups. Store it in an airtight jar at all times.
• You can vary the herbes de Provence mix using whichever you prefer, add your favorite spices or add a spicy touch to give them a different flavor. That way, every time you make them they'll be a different side dish.
• If you prefer, cut the zucchini into rounds instead of strips.
• They are an ideal accompaniment for roasted meats and fish, and if you fancy serving them as an appetizer, I recommend serving them with some dipping sauce: sauce of cheddar cheese (or any melted cheese), a yogurt sauce, the delicious tzatziki sauce or even barbecue sauce.
• Try preparing eggplants the same way, you'll see how delicious they are!