Stuffed zucchini boats with smoked bacon are a versatile summer dish. The delicate taste of zucchini gets a burst of flavor from the smoked bacon, adding taste without weighing down the dish.
In fact, as I always do whenever possible, I’ve chosen a preparation method that maximizes flavors using only boiling, pan-steaming without adding oil, and oven cooking.
This doesn’t detract from the taste; instead, it makes the flavors more distinct.
Stuffed zucchini boats with smoked bacon are an excellent main course but can also be a tasty appetizer or snack.
For this, within the recipe, I give you an idea to make small portions from a ‘closed’ boat.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini (about 7 oz each)
- 1/2 spring onion
- 3.5 oz smoked bacon (diced)
- 1.75 oz breadcrumbs
- 1.4 oz bread crumb
- 3 piccadilly tomatoes
- 1 oz mild cheese like Galbanino
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2.5 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
- to taste salt
- pepper (optional)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste water
Tools
- Baking Tray rectangular (diam. 14×10 inches)
- Pan medium/small (mine is 7 inches in diameter)
Preparation
Wash the zucchinis, remove the ends, and boil in salted water for about 10-12 minutes, ensuring they’re all well submerged.
Drain, let cool, and then cut in half lengthwise.
Using a knife, scoop out the pulp starting from the center.
Create a zucchini shell as uniform as possible. I achieved a thickness of about 1/8 inch.
Finely chop half the spring onion using a kitchen knife, and cook it in a medium-small sized pan with a little more than half a glass of water over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.
It will take a few minutes.
Once the water has evaporated and the spring onion is cooked, add the finely chopped zucchini pulp and let the water in the pulp evaporate a bit.
Then add the diced bacon. Let it sauté for a few minutes, and as soon as you get a dry yet soft mixture, turn off the heat.
In a mixer, finely chop breadcrumbs, soaked and squeezed bread crumb, parsley, peeled and seeded tomatoes, cheese, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and 3 tablespoons of water.
Optionally, you can add pepper, but the bacon already provides enough flavor, so I didn’t add any, nor did I add salt.
Grind until you get a moist breadcrumb and mix it with the zucchini pulp and bacon, ensuring the ingredients blend well.
On a baking tray (I use a 14×10 inches rectangle) lined with parchment paper, place the zucchinis filled with the obtained stuffing.
I made 4 open and 2 closed ones by placing the corresponding half on the stuffed half and drizzling with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Drizzle the stuffed zucchini boats with a little olive oil, and for the closed ones, also brush the top outer surface with oil.
Bake at 392°F for about 25 minutes in the middle of the oven using the static function.
Then turn on the grill and continue cooking until the open boats are golden.
At this point, take out the latter and leave the closed ones in the oven for a few more minutes.
Serve the stuffed zucchini boats with smoked bacon once they have cooled slightly, but they are also excellent cold.
Cut the closed zucchini boats into finger-thick slices; they can be served as an appetizer or during a snack.
Storage
In the fridge for two days well sealed
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