Grilled zucchini roll-ups

Thicker zucchini will produce strips that are easier to work with. If you cut them too thick, however, they won’t roll up; too thin, and they turn to mush. If you have a mandoline that allows you adjust the blade to cut foods to various thicknesses, that’s the most reliable option.
- ZA’ATAR
- ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ cup dried sumac
- 3 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ROLL-UPS
- 5 medium zucchini
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions:
The tahini and yogurt make the zucchini perfectly creamy, and the za’atar adds a bit of bite. Made using sumac and other ingredients, za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that has a ton of health benefits and also adds a pleasant acidic flavor to foods.
- To make the za’atar, in a bowl, stir together the sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, and oregano. Set aside.
- To make the roll-ups, cut the ends from the zucchini and slice in strips lengthwise, about ⅛ inch thick. Save the end strips, with rounded edges, for another use. Rub a few pinches of salt into the zucchini flesh.
- In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, tahini and a pinch of salt and set aside.Heat your grill or grill pan to mediumhigh.
- Lay the zucchini on a baking sheet, brush lightly with the olive oil, and add a few grinds of pepper. Grill, turning once, until just softened, about 2 minutes per side. Return the zucchini slices to the baking sheet.
- Once the zucchini slices have cooled slightly, swipe about 1 table-spoon of the yogurt mixture lengthwise down the middle of a zucchini slice and generously sprinkle some za’atar on top, about a scant ½ teaspoon per roll-up. (You’ll have lots of za’atar left over. Save it for another use, like sprinkling it on top of hummus.)
- Add a pinch of fresh thyme leaves and, starting from one of the narrow ends, roll the zucchini into a roll. Garnish with a few sesame seeds and serve at room temperature.