Tomato-Summer or Zucchini Squash Casserole with Mozzarella Cheese

As the gardening season begins to come to an end, it's a great time to take advantage of the remaining Summer or Zucchini squash in our garden as long as it continues to be productive. This is a wonderful vegetable dish your family and friends will love. When your garden is finished, you can use squash from the grocery store from Southern states to recreate this recipe. Use either Summer or Zucchini squash but don't mix the two varieties.

Ingredients:

• 3- 10 to 12-inch squash, peeled
• 1 tablespoon of sea salt
• ½ cup of general purpose white flour
• 1 cup of olive oil or Truffle oil
• ¾ Pound of thinly sliced Mozzarella cheese
• 3 medium size red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 of the biggest or 10 medium RIPE tomatoes, peeled, and coarsely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped fresh Basil
• 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon of white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of Allspice
• 1/3 cup of fresh grated or packaged Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut your squash into ½ inch slices. Place on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and let stand for about 15 minutes. Blot the moisture on the squash to remove excess moisture. Dust lightly both sides of the squash with your flour and sauté in ¾ cup of oil until both sides are golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
2. Cover the bottom of your casserole dish with a layer of squash slices. Next cover the squash with your slices of Mozzarella cheese and then another layer of squash and cheese, leaving gaps between the slices of cheese so the tomato mixture can penetrate the layers.
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Fill a medium pot half full of water and bring to a boil. Drop in your tomatoes and when they begin to crack their skin, remove from the hot water, and place in cold water to stop the cooking and peel. Coarsely chop and put to one side. 
4. Heat the remaining oil in a fry pan and sauté the thinly slices onion rings until transparent. Add your tomatoes, basil, thyme, sugar, and allspice and cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Ladle the tomato mixture over the squash and top with Parmesan cheese, and bake, covered for 25 minutes so all the flavors blend together. Remove the cover and brown under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Serve hot and add a bit more Parmesan cheese if you like, and have your family salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6 to 8 people. Enjoy!