Slow Roasted Zucchini

I love squash in its many forms but i feel like it usually takes a back seat to whatever we're eating. I wanted to do something with zukes that would bring them front and center. 

For a while, I was roasting them at 450 or even 500 degrees in the oven like Lynne Rossetto Kasper taught us all how to do on the Splendid Table, but because of their moisture content, I've found that zukes never roast as well as root vegetables like parsnips.

My friend Jeri told me about oven roasted tomatoes a while ago, which is as simple as roasting Roma tomatoes in an oven at 250 or so, for four hours. Those turned out fantastically, so I attempted to do that today with some zukes. 

First, I used my trusty mandolin to make quick work of slicing up a zucchini and a yellow squash:

Next, I tossed the squash with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

                                              

Then, I roasted the whole thing at 275 for about an hour and a half. Make sure to spread them fairly thinly on the pan, so that as much surface area as possible is exposed. Also, check them every ten minutes after an hour to make sure they don't burn!

                                              

The moisture of each slice is leeched out through slow roasting and the flavor of the squash becomes really concentrated, leaving you with these crispy little bits of deliciousness!

I had been craving polenta, so i served them on some crispy polenta squares with some soy sausage patties and tomato sauce. I know it sounds time consuming, but these little guys are totally worth it!