Stuffed Zucchini with Ricotta
Corsican style baked zucchini (courgettes) stuffed with ricotta or cottage cheese and mint. A taste of the Mediterranean, it's a delicious vegetarian meal on its own or side dish.
Ingredients
- 6 medium zucchini or courgettes
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint finely chopped
- 100 g (2 slices) mixed grain bread (mixed to breadcrumbs) or panko
- 500 g (16oz/2 tubs ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- 25 g (1oz/2 tbsp fresh parmesan grated
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Drop the zucchini/courgettes into a large pot of salted boiling water and leave them to soften for up to 5 minutes, depending on their size. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool while preparing the other ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas 6.
- Using a mixer or hand blender, blitz the bread into crumbs or weigh out the panko breadcrumbs.
- Trim off each zucchini core end then halve them lengthwise. Using a small spoon (a serrated grapefruit spoon even better), hollow out the flesh leaving a boat shell about 1cm thick.
- Chop up the removed zucchini flesh and gradually squeeze out the excess water from each with your hands over a kitchen towel.
- In a bowl, mix the zucchini flesh, garlic, cheeses, egg yolks, mint, pine nuts, and add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs.
- Dry the courgette shells with kitchen paper then stuff each one generously. Place them in a single layer on an oiled or non-stick baking dish.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown and well toasted.
Notes
Serve hot or warm with some extra fresh mint or parsley. Top with extra nuts or seeds, such as pepitas.
Wine pairing: serve with a chilled glass of Vermentino (Corsican, Italian/Sardinian), a fruity rosé or a Corsican red such as Sciaccarello (Corsican Pinot Noir).