Zucchini Casserole fresh from the oven

Simple to prepare, deeply satisfying, and highlights the distinctive flavor of zucchini vs. yellow summer squash. We’re still not tired of it even after eating it several nights a week for the whole season.

Preparation is simplicity itself:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. Slice zucchini to fill the casserole dish.

  3. Add a generous amount, say, 3 ounces, of shredded/sliced/crumbled sharp cheddar cheese
    [Most so called "sharp" cheddar really isn’t. My recommendation is Cabot’s three-year old Vermont cheddar, typically wrapped in black, available in brick-sized bricks at Costco.]
    .

  4. Cut up a couple of Italian sausages or a third of a kielbasa or a comparable amount of whatever interesting sausage you have around (about 4–6 ounces) and add that.

  5. Cover the casserole dish and bake about an hour.

That’s it. No added liquids, seasonings or any other ingredients required. The only way to improve it is to get a loaf of your favorite bread and stick it in the oven for the last ten minutes or so, then serve with the casserole to blot the wonderful broth.

Don’t burn your mouth; it smells so good, it’s hard to wait for it to cool.