Stuffed Round ZUCCHINI
This particular type of zucchini, called ‘bombetta’, is a less commonly used variety in cooking, which our grandmothers have always treasured.
The round shape of this vegetable and its appearance similar to a sugar bowl make it a sort of natural container, ideal for being stuffed with a wide range of ingredients where the only limit is your imagination.
A very tasty second course that, given the richness of the ingredients, allows you to achieve almost a complete dish perfect for any situation, from a family lunch to a special occasion, pleasing everyone.
There are different versions of this recipe, the one I propose today includes a filling based on mortadella, ricotta, parmesan, and egg, enriched with aromatic herbs, but nothing prevents you from modifying it using, for example, cooked ham or minced pork.
You can also use classic zucchini, but the round ones are better suited to be filled, if not for the scenic effect of the finished dish.
A tasty way to cook a variety of zucchini not much used, but of great versatility.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 312.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.63 (g) of which sugars 3.01 (g)
- Proteins 16.21 (g)
- Fat 25.13 (g) of which saturated 9.46 (g)of which unsaturated 7.15 (g)
- Fibers 2.09 (g)
- Sodium 716.87 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 round zucchini
- 3.5 oz mortadella (in a single slice or cooked ham)
- 2.5 oz grated parmesan (or pecorino)
- 1 egg
- 3.5 oz ricotta
- 1 shallot
- marjoram (a few leaves)
- thyme (a few leaves)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ladle vegetable broth (or water)
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch black pepper (ground)
Tools
- Pan
- Bowl
- Casserole
Steps
Wash and dry the zucchini, cut the top and set it aside. Score the circumference of the zucchini with a small knife and scoop out the inner pulp with a spoon. Finely chop the extracted pulp. Salt the inside of the zucchini and place them upside down on a plate to let their water drain out.
Clean the shallot and chop it coarsely, then let it soften for 10 minutes in a non-stick pan with extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped zucchini pulp, drizzle with a ladle of hot vegetable broth or water and cook for about 10 minutes. Chop the marjoram and thyme leaves and add them to the cooking, continue for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Transfer the filling into a bowl and mix well, let it cool slightly. Then add the coarsely chopped mortadella, ricotta, grated cheese, 1 egg, and mix the ingredients well. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Take the zucchini and fill them with the prepared mixture. Place the zucchini in a baking dish lined with parchment paper and bake them in a preheated static oven at 356°F (180°C) for about 45/50 minutes, adding the zucchini tops in the last 10 minutes. The STUFFED ROUND ZUCCHINI WITH MORTADELLA are ready to be served!
NOTES
MORTADELLA: You can replace mortadella with cooked ham or ground pork.
RICOTTA: If you want a stronger flavor, you can use provola in the filling and replace parmesan with pecorino.
STORAGE
I recommend serving the STUFFED ROUND ZUCCHINI as soon as they are ready. If there are leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. They are not suitable for freezing.
