Meatless Baked Stuffed Zucchini

Here is the recipe for baked stuffed zucchini in a vegetarian version:

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini
• 200 g of ricotta
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• Breadcrumbs (enough to dust)
• 1 clove of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Wash the zucchini and cut them in half lengthwise. With the help of a spoon, hollow out the inside of the zucchini to remove the flesh and create a cavity that can contain the filling.
2. Finely chop the extracted flesh and sauté it in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Prepare the filling in a bowl by mixing the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, chopped parsley, and cooked zucchini flesh. Adjust for salt and pepper if necessary.
4. Stuff the zucchini with the ricotta and flesh mixture, leveling off the surface well.
5. Place the stuffed zucchini in a previously oiled baking dish and lightly dust with breadcrumbs.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and crispy.
7. Serve hot.

Curiosity

Stuffed zucchini are a classic of Italian home cooking, with many regional variations. They can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including meat, grains like rice or couscous, or, as in this case, cheeses like ricotta. Using the zucchini flesh in the filling ensures that the flavor of the vegetable is not lost and that the dish is sustainable, avoiding waste.