Pruning Zucchini and Summer Squash

This week's garden task, and a savory tart to enjoy the results

This week, I'm sharing a quick, although admittedly somewhat spiky, garden task. Wear gloves. It's standard practice throughout much of Europe, but for some reason, we don't tend to do it as often here: pruning zucchini and summer squash.

Let's Start With the Why

Beyond making it much easier to spot the eggs of our garden enemies, pruning improves airflow through the plant, helping reduce the risk of diseases like powdery mildew.

As zucchini plants grow, the older lower leaves naturally become less productive and are more likely to be damaged or harbor disease. Removing them allows more light and air to reach the healthy new growth at the top of the plant, helping it focus its energy on producing vigorous leaves and abundant fruit.

and now the how

You can safely remove up to one-third of the plant at a time without placing it under undue stress. After that initial cleanup, I continue by removing any leaves below the lowest zucchini, cutting each leaf stem cleanly at its base, plus any leaf that shows signs of stress.

SAVORY ZUCCHINI TART

To enjoy the literal fruits of our labor, I encourage you to try this savory recipe that sits somewhere between zucchini bread and a crustless quiche. Serve with tomato sauce for dipping.

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little more for the pan and finishing

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided in half

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

⅔ cup milk

1 cup toasted pine nuts (optional- definitely has a distinct texture)

2 small zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, then brush the parchment and sides of the pan with a little more olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, half of the parmesan, the salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

Make a well in the center and add the eggs, olive oil, and milk. Stir just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be quite thick.

Fold in the toasted pine nuts, the basil, and all but about 20 of the zucchini slices. Save those remaining slices for the top.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Arrange the reserved zucchini slices over the surface, sprinkle with the remaining cheese,, and finish with a light drizzle of olive oil.

 Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 Let the bread cool for about 15 minutes before releasing the springform ring. It's wonderful warm, at room temperature, or even the next day.

From my garden to yours,

Kiera