Zucchini and Sausage Casserole

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a wide, 2-quart baking dish, or spray it with nonstick spray. Put the zucchini in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes or wrap it in a clean tea towel and gently squeeze it to remove the excess liquid. Put the zucchini in a large mixing bowl. Heat a large skillet and add the sage sausage and hot sausage. Cook until the sausage starts to brown, stirring to break it up. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons grease. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Combine the sausage and onions with the zucchini. Stir in the cream, the 1 cup bread crumbs, the eggs, the 2 to 3 cups cheese, and 2 cups pecans. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. The casserole may be refrigerated at this point for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. For the topping, combine the butter, the 3/4 cup bread crumbs, and the 3/4 cup pecans. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Bake, uncovered, until hot through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the 1/2 cup cheese and return to the oven just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Reprinted with permission from Nathalie Dupree's Comfortable Entertaining by Nathalie Dupree. © 1998 Viking

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a wide, 2-quart baking dish, or spray it with nonstick spray. Put the zucchini in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes or wrap it in a clean tea towel and gently squeeze it to remove the excess liquid. Put the zucchini in a large mixing bowl. Heat a large skillet and add the sage sausage and hot sausage. Cook until the sausage starts to brown, stirring to break it up. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons grease. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Combine the sausage and onions with the zucchini. Stir in the cream, the 1 cup bread crumbs, the eggs, the 2 to 3 cups cheese, and 2 cups pecans. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. The casserole may be refrigerated at this point for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. For the topping, combine the butter, the 3/4 cup bread crumbs, and the 3/4 cup pecans. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Bake, uncovered, until hot through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the 1/2 cup cheese and return to the oven just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Reprinted with permission from Nathalie Dupree's Comfortable Entertaining by Nathalie Dupree. © 1998 Viking