Oven-Fried Zucchini

1. Heat oven to 425 F. 
2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a baking sheet to evenly coat. Set aside.
3. Wash, trim and slice zucchini into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
4. Beat egg in a small bowl.
5. Spread breadcrumbs out in a shallow dish. Stir Parmesan cheese, salt, basil, and pepper into breadcrumbs.
6. Dip 5 to 6 zucchini slices into the beaten egg. Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture, pressing on both sides to coat. Shake off excess and place on prepared baking sheet.

1. Repeat with remaining zucchini slices.
2. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the zucchini.
3. Bake in heated oven 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn zucchini so the other side gets crispy. Bake another 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown.
4. Allow to cool on pan 2 minutes and then serve hot as a side dish or appetizer.

Note: To keep oven-fried zucchini warm if serving them as an appetizer, set the oven to 200 F. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet to catch drips and place zucchini rounds on it. By doing this, you elevate them from contact with the pan and they won't become soggy and should retain their crispness.

Variations

To improve the crispiness, instead of baking breaded zucchini directly on a baking sheet, arrange them on a wire rack that has been lightly coated with cooking spray and placed on a baking pan to catch any drips. Give the tops of the zucchini rounds a light mist of cooking spray. Bake as directed above.