Stuffed Vegetables

Stuffed vegetables are a very versatile dish that can be prepared with different types of vegetables and fillings. Here I propose an Italian version with a meat filling and a variety of vegetables.

Ingredients

• 2 zucchinis
• 2 bell peppers
• 2 large tomatoes
• 200 g of ground meat (beef or pork)
• 100 g of rice
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Breadcrumbs to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Start by washing all the vegetables thoroughly. Cut the zucchinis in half lengthwise and hollow them out with a spoon, keeping the flesh. Do the same with the bell peppers, cutting them in half and removing seeds and membranes. Cut the tops off the tomatoes and hollow them as well.

2. Boil the rice until it is al dente, drain it and set it aside.

3. Prepare the filling in a bowl by mixing the ground meat, egg, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the boiled rice and mix all the ingredients until you have a homogeneous mixture.

4. Finely chop the onion and garlic, and sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil until golden brown. Add the zucchini flesh that you have set aside and cook for a few minutes.

5. Incorporate the sautéed onion, garlic, and zucchini into the meat and rice mixture, mixing well.

6. Stuff the vegetables with the prepared mixture, filling them without pressing too firmly.

7. Place the stuffed vegetables in an oiled baking dish and sprinkle them with breadcrumbs.

8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are golden brown on the surface and tender to the touch.

Curiosity

Stuffed vegetables are a great way to repurpose leftovers. Traditionally, in some Italian regions, leftovers from meat sauces or boiled meats are also used to enrich the filling, thus demonstrating the Italian creativity and capacity for not wasting.