Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup dry white breadcrumbs, toasted until golden

2 tablespoons butter, cut up

Trim the zucchini and halve it lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds.

Grate the zucchini on the coarse side of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the grating blade. Pile the zucchini into a colander, sprinkling the layers with salt. Set a deep plate underneath the colander and another one directly onto the zucchini. Let the zucchini drain for several hours.

Set the oven at 375 degrees.

With your hands, squeeze the zucchini to remove the excess moisture.

In a large skillet with a heatproof handle, heat the oil and saute the onion over medium low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is soft but not brown. Stir the zucchini into the onion. Stir in the cream with black pepper, to taste.

Sprinkle the toasted crumbs on top, dot with butter and bake for 20 minutes or until the zucchini is bubbling at the edges and the top is beginning to turn golden. Serve at once. Serves four.