Date Zucchini Bread

0 Prepare the Pan and Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
1 Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2 Make the Date Mixture: Add the chopped dates and ⅓ cup milk to a food processor. Process until the dates break down into a smooth, thick paste, scraping down the sides as needed. If the dates are dry and the mixture is too thick to process easily, add the remaining milk as needed. Add the oil or melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Process briefly until smooth and well combined.
4 Prepare the Zucchini: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the zucchini. Measure 1½ cups and set aside. Tip: There is no need to squeeze out the moisture unless your zucchini is unusually juicy. If it is very wet, gently squeeze the grated zucchini between your hands or in a clean kitchen towel to remove some of the excess moisture. Do not wring it completely dry. The zucchini should still be moist but not dripping wet.
6 Combine: Pour the date mixture over the dry ingredients. Add the grated zucchini and chopped walnuts. Gently fold everything together with a spatula just until no dry spots remain. Do not over-mix.The batter should be thick and spoonable, falling slowly from a spoon rather than pouring like cake batter. If it looks unusually loose or watery, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of flour, as needed.
8 Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with additional chopped walnuts and slivered pistachios, if using. Bake for [timer minutes=60]60–70 minutes[/timer], or until deeply golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If the top or nuts begin to brown too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil after about [timer minutes=30]30 minutes[/timer] (especially important if using pistachios).
10 Let the bread cool in the pan for [timer minutes=10]10 minutes[/timer], then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer it to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.