Zucchini Bars

There's the old song "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better," but when I saw this "zucchini bar" in the Baker's Bounty tent at the Grand Army Plaza farmers' market, my thoughts went instead to the Chorus Line classic (cue jazz hands) "I Can Do That."

My family makes a looser, more moist version of this that we call zucchini quiche (I include the recipe in The Gastronomy of Marriage). But I liked the idea of a firmer version that can be eaten with fingers off a napkin, served room temperature with a cold aperitivo, or in lieu of bread alongside a summer dinner. At first bite, it was even drier than I expected — almost too dry, some might say. But this made it seem even more perfect for pairing with a before-dinner glass of white wine, or a finger of white vermouth over ice. 

I think a fiddled-with version of my zucchini quiche could eventually get one to these bars. What do you think? A bit more flour, grate the zucchini (instead of cubing it) and squeeze it out in a dish towel? Maybe a little extra parmigiana over the top, to ensure that browned, texture top? If you give it a try, please do share the results. I think we've got several weeks yet until the end of zucchini season — or the need for a cold drink headed into dinner.