As you enter the F. Tambellini Restaurant on Seventh Street, Downtown, you are greeted by dozens of celebrities. There's Tony Danza. Marlo Thomas. Rue McClanahan. Leonard Nimoy. The Beach Boys. Liberace. Ed Asner. Tom Petty. Luciano Pavarotti. Bruce Springsteen. Peaches & Herb. Ann-Margret. Richard Chamberlain. And Patty Burns, to name a few. All of the stars can be seen on autographed photos hanging on the left wall as you are escorted into the dining room. Even the late Fred Rogers smiles at you, offering a handwritten note praising the meal he enjoyed. A good many of these stars probably were served the restaurant's fried zucchini appetizer. The Tambellini name in Pittsburgh is synonymous with fine dining, and F. Tambellini is noted for having the best fried zucchini in town. The scrumptious appetizer, sliced thin and fried to a light golden brown, is referred to on the menu as "Our Legendary Zucchini." The kitchen goes through nearly 500 pounds of fresh zucchini every week. Owner Charlie Pellegrini says the fried zucchini is the benchmark by which all other restaurants measure their zucchini appetizers. "Just about every restaurant in Pittsburgh has fried zucchini," he says. "It's been a Pittsburgh tradition since the 1960s." Executive chef Dwayne Moore has been preparing the recipe for 15 years. He says the key to making good fried zucchini lies in the size of the zucchini -- he chooses medium-size squash -- and in using a deep-fryer. "We use shortening of the Kraft variety to fry our zucchini, and that makes a big difference," Moore says. "The oil should maintain a 400-degree temperature, which is almost impossible to do at home." Fried zucchini is not the only delicacy served at F. Tambellini, which is more than 50 years old. The 250-seat restaurant, popular with the business lunch crowd and dinner-theater patrons, underwent a lavish renovation in 1998. Pellegrini says the cuisine is based on home-style cooking from the city of Lucca, in the Tuscan Hills of Italy, with "no pretense to sophistication." That translates into tried-and-true dishes Pittsburghers have grown to love, such as veal, chicken or eggplant parmigiana; veal or chicken marsala; and veal and shrimp piccata. The menu also features pasta and seafood dishes such as English-style spot and shrimp scampi. Starters include marinated portobello mushrooms with roasted red peppers and jumbo lump crabmeat, oysters on the half shell, calamari fritte, and stuffed hot banana peppers. But it's the fried zucchini that has customers returning over and over. Moore says the restaurant sells a lot of zucchini as takeout, which worries him because the appetizer has to be eaten hot to get the full effect. It is served with lemon wedges, grated Romano cheese, marinara sauce or ranch dressing. "You have to eat it as soon as it comes to your table," Moore cautions. "Once it's made, there's a three- to five-minute window to serve it, or the coating becomes soft." If you own a deep-fryer or are familiar with deep-fat frying in a kitchen pot or pan, you can re-create this appetizer on the home stove. Moore shared a few tricks of the trade for the best results. The first -- and most important -- is to buy medium-size zucchini. The seeds in the longer ones are too big, he says, and the smaller squash are too hard. After slicing, sprinkle a layer of salt on the zucchini and let them sit for two hours. "You do that so the water drains out of them," Moore says. "It makes them crispier." For a virtual tour of F. Tambellini or to see the menus, visit the www.eatzucchini.com .

F. Tambellini's Fried Zucchini

2 medium-size zucchini Salt 4 eggs 1 cup milk Pepper, to taste Vegetable shortening, for deep-frying About 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted Lemon wedges About 1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese About 1/4 cup tomato or marinara sauce, heated About 1/4 cup bottled ranch dressing (optional) Slice the zucchini lengthwise about 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle a thin layer of salt on the pieces and let sit for 2 hours. Beat the eggs and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the shortening until hot (at least 350 degrees) in a deep-fryer or on the stovetop in a deep, heavy pot or pan. Dust the zucchini slices in flour <!-- ( see Photo 1, below) --> and shake off the excess. Dip the slices in the egg mixture <!-- ( Photo 2) --> , then dip in the flour again. Place several pieces in the deep-fryer <!-- ( Photo 3 ) --> and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Place zucchini on a serving plate and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and serve immediately with marinara sauce and, if desired, ranch dressing.

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