Dried zucchini for winter

For harvesting zucchini by the drying process, the choice of vegetables plays an important role. It is best to use early or medium-ripened varieties that appear on the markets from the end of May to mid-June. You should not choose overripe fruits, the seeds inside should be small, and the flesh is dense and elastic. If the squash has already ripened or the variety differs in large seeds, the middle must be removed before drying.

Preparation of zucchini for drying begins with washing. We wash them with running water and wipe them thoroughly. Cut off the stalk and spout, and then peel the zucchini.

The smaller the zucchini is cut, the faster it dries, but it is important not to overdo it so that the resulting pieces are convenient to use in winter. Cut the zucchini into cubes, half rings or rings. It can be harvested in different ways, depending on how they will be used in winter. But with different sizes of pieces, vegetables need to be dried in different batches due to different drying times.

Boil water, do not add any spices and herbs. We lower the sliced zucchini into the water and blanch for 4-5 minutes, no more, digestion is unacceptable. Discard in a colander, rinse with cold water to speed up the cooling process, and leave until the water drains completely. Excess moisture significantly increases the drying time.

The easiest way to dry zucchini in an electric dryer. Firstly, at this time, the resource of the oven is not spent, which consumes more energy and may be needed for other cooking of other dishes.

We spread the pieces of zucchini on the grates of the dryer without overlap. Let them just fit snugly together, during the drying process they will decrease significantly and free space will appear between the pieces.

Turn on the dryer temperature within 40-50 degrees, set the sieves one above the other and set the time for 5 hours. After every hour, it is necessary to open the dryer and rearrange the sieves in places, bottom up. This will allow the vegetables to dry evenly.

Fully prepared zucchini will be dry, easily removed from the sieve without sticking to it. We store it in a dark place in a linen bag or a hermetically sealed container.

Bon appetit!