Zucchini and Eggs is a simple, delicious, classic Italian dish that our family called Cocozelle – named after the heirloom zucchini variety.
Hello everyone. This is Jack and I’m honored to share the story behind this recipe for Zucchini and Eggs – or as my Italian family called it Cocozelle.
Zucchini and Eggs is a simple, classic Italian dish and it is often served for breakfast or dinner when summertime’s garden zucchini is plentiful.
Looking around in cookbooks and online – there are many slang names for this delicious dish. Each Italian family seems to have their own name for it like ‘gagoots’ or ‘gagooch’ – and often times the name of the recipe is simply someone’s interpretation of an Italian word spoken by a relative in the family who came from ‘the old country.’
When I was growing up, this zucchini and eggs dish was called Cocozelle (pronounced koo-ka-zeel). Initially, I didn’t know how my parents spelled the name of this recipe – but then my father (aka Grampa) pulled out a seed pack from a drawer and showed me the picture on the front of the package.
Cocozelle is actually a striped, heirloom variety of zucchini – that we just happened to be growing in our own garden this summer! After doing more research, we discovered that the official name is Cocozella di Napoli and the small, baby-sized squash are considered a delicacy in Naples, Italy. It is regarded as one of the best zucchini varieties to cook with because of its low moisture content and rich but mild flavor.
Regardless of what you call this fantastic dish – I have extremely fond memories of my Aunt Mary making zucchini and eggs. I often raced over to her house on my bike when I knew she was making this – and all these years later, I still remember her kitchen and the flavors of this dish like it was yesterday.
I love this dish, and I hope you will too.
PrintZucchini and Eggs {Cocozelle}
Zucchini and Eggs is a simple, delicious, classic Italian dish that our family called Cocozelle – named after the heirloom zucchini variety.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: entree
- Method: saute
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups large diced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium clove of garlic, sliced thin
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh zucchini cut into one inch quarter rounds (if possible get the cocozelle which has light stripes running along the squash and has a more delicate flavor and thinner skin)
- 4 whole eggs
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk (use whole milk if possible but not crucial)
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan, melt butter in oil over medium heat and add onions, salt and pepper. Cook for about ten minutes and add garlic. Cook for another five to ten minutes or until onions are nice and browned and caramelized. Remove onions to a bowl but leave fat in the pan.
- Add zucchini and sauté over medium high for about five minutes or until tender.
- While zucchini is cooking, mix eggs with milk and set aside.
- Once zucchini finishes cooking, add onions back in, reduce to medium and add egg mixture.
- Turn with a spatula or wooden spoon and cook just until the eggs are scrambled.
- Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately.
You may also like:
Husband loved it.
So glad the recipe as a hit!
I remember this from childhood in New York. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome Evelyn! Hope our version is as good as the version you had as a child.
Can’t wait to cook the cocozelle; looks delightful 😋
Hope you love it Fawn!
Wonderfully simple and tasty. My mother cooks chayotes in similar way.
Thank you Cuong!
This is what I grew up on except my family added cooked potatoes and green pepper. We have always called it cococelli. One of my comfort foods.
Thanks Diane!
I added cherry tomatoes soon after I put the zucchini in to cook. Otherwise, I follow the directions. Nice flavor, we liked it a lot. I also sprinkled some shredded parmigiana once it was on my plate. When I was a kid, the 8Italians on my street annunciated this dish “koo-goots”
I served this with some hot, turkey sausage. YUMMY!
Sounds delicious Robert!
Just like Mama used to make.
That’s the best compliment Eleanor! Thank you!
Reminds me of my childhood. Great comfort food.
Thanks Jeannie! (Totally agree…)