Round Zucchini Stuffed with Baked Rice

Round zucchini stuffed with rice is a delicious and rather simple dish to prepare. Here is a version inspired by Italian cuisine.

Ingredients

• 4 round zucchinis
• 150 g of Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• 400 ml of vegetable broth
• 1 small onion
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• A bunch of chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Breadcrumbs (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic (optional)
• Mozzarella or scamorza cheese, diced (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Wash the zucchinis, cut off the top cap and hollow out the inside with a spoon, being careful not to break them. Salt the inside and place them upside down on paper towels to lose some of their water content.
3. In the meantime, prepare the rice: finely chop the onion and sauté it with a drizzle of oil in a pan until it becomes transparent. Add the rice and toast it for one minute.
4. Gradually add the hot vegetable broth, one ladle at a time, waiting for the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more, cooking for about 15 minutes or until the rice is almost cooked but still al dente.
5. Remove the rice from the heat and add the Parmesan, the chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. If desired, you can also add some garlic to the sauté and diced mozzarella or scamorza to the stuffing.
6. Stuff the zucchinis with the rice, sprinkle with breadcrumbs if you want a crispy crust, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
7. Put the caps back on the stuffed zucchini and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the zucchini are soft and the surface is golden.
8. Remove the stuffed zucchini from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Curiosity

Arborio and Carnaroli rice are among the favored varieties for risottos because they release starch during cooking, contributing to creating an ideal creamy consistency for stuffings like this. Moreover, you can vary the recipe by adding minced meat or chopped vegetables for a richer filling.