Stuffed Round Zucchinis

Naturally, the stuffed round zucchinis are a delicious and versatile dish. Here’s the classic recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 round zucchinis
• 200 g of ground meat (beef or pork, according to preference)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 80 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• Bread crumbs as needed
• Chopped parsley as needed
• Salt and pepper as needed
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• 400 ml of tomato puree
• Basil (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. Wash the zucchinis, cut off the top to create a “cap” and hollow out the inside with a spoon, being careful not to break the skin. Chop the removed pulp and set it aside.
3. In a pan, heat some oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden brown.
4. Add the ground meat, turn up the heat, and sauté until well cooked. Add the chopped zucchini pulp and cook for a few minutes.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat, let it cool down and mix with the egg, grated Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. Add some breadcrumbs if the mixture is too moist.
6. Stuff the zucchinis with the meat mixture and replace the “cap” on top.
7. Place the zucchinis in a baking dish, pour the tomato puree around and drizzle with a stream of oil.
8. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the zucchinis are tender.
9. Serve hot, garnished with basil leaves if desired.

Curiosity

Round zucchinis are perfect for stuffing, thanks to their shape that makes them resemble small casseroles. This dish has peasant origins, where creatively reusing leftovers was a necessity. With the addition of ground meat, it has transformed into a hearty and complete dish.

Remember that stuffed round zucchinis can be customized in many ways. You can make them vegetarian by replacing the ground meat with rice, quinoa, or crumbled tofu, and enrich them with other vegetables, such as chopped bell peppers, eggplants, or mushrooms.