Make 2 loaves, each serving 12.
These nutritious loaves are a delight to have on hand when unexpected visitors pop in. They remain fresh for quite a few days refrigerated. They also freeze very well.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1¼ pounds zucchini, 3 medium
- 1 ½ cup walnuts
- ¾ cup vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the pan.
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 2 cups unbleached flour, plus 1½ tablespoons for flouring the pans
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
PREPARATION:
- Rinse the zucchini, pat dry with paper towels, and discard the ends.
- Coarsely grate the zucchini in a food processor fitted with the medium grating attachment. Wring out in a dish towel, IN SMALL BATCHES, to remove all the moisture. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Coarsely chop the walnuts in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans with oil.
- Dust evenly with flour. Invert pans and tap to shake out the excess flour.
- In a large bowl combine oil with the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Sift together the flour along with the baking powder and baking soda directly into a measuring cup.
- To the oil-sugar mixture, add small amounts of the flour alternating with 1 egg at a time, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Fold in vanilla, cinnamon, zucchini and walnuts until well blended.
- Divide batter equally between the two pans.
- Bake in the center of the oven, (making sure that the pans do not touch) for 45 minutes. Test with a cake tester in the center – it should come out dry (the loaves will not rise to the top).
- Cool on a wire rack. Loosen the sides with a metal spatula before unmolding.
