Sweet Zucchini Crumble

Silky smooth baked zucchini is the surprising filling in this sweet dessert found in “Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables” (no, not that Farmer John!)  Like the best apple crumble, this dessert has a tender, lemony-sweet, spiced filling just waiting to be discovered beneath its irresistible, crunchy crust.  Don’t count on having leftovers!  Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:
4½ cups flour
3 cups sugar, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups shortening, softened or butter, cold
6-8 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 4 large zucchini)
⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Stir the flour, 2 cups sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.  Add the shortening or butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the crumble mixture looks like coarse oatmeal.
3. Pour half of the crumble mixture into a 9×13″ cake pan.  Using your fingers or a rubber spatula, press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside.
4. Combine the zucchini and lemon juice in a large pot over high heat and cook until zucchini is tender, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 1 cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Simmer for 1 minute more.  Stir in ½ cup of the reserved crumble mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
5. Pour the zucchini mixture over the baked crust and sprinkle with the remaining crumble mixture.  Return the pan to the oven and bake until it is lightly browned and bubbly, 40-45 minutes.