Ingredients :

• The zucchini — Choose medium zucchini — not the one-kilo monsters that sometimes linger in the bins. Large ones are waterlogged and tasteless. A reasonable-sized zucchini has firmer flesh, which holds up better during cooking and slices without being crushed.
• The turkey ham — Use cooked turkey ham, not smoked. Smoked ham overpowers all other flavors. Choose thick slices if you can find them — extra-thin slices tend to disintegrate and disappear into the béchamel unnoticed.
• The melting cheese — Mozzarella, Emmental, grated Gruyère — whatever you have. Mozzarella gives a spectacular stretch but releases a lot of water. Gruyère gratins better and has much more character. Ideally, mix the two in equal proportions.
• The homemade béchamel — Yes, homemade. Store-bought béchamel doesn’t taste like butter; it smells like cold flour and preservatives. It takes ten minutes: butter, flour, hot milk, whisk. Not negotiable for this dish.