These are an old favorite and although I don’t make often, they are really good! I got the recipe from epicurious.com which took it from David Ruggeri’s Little Italy Cookbook. These pictures show pretty much every step of the process except the hollowing out of the zucchinis. They turn out so cute! Like little boats of goodness, textures and flavor. And having it all on a zucchini makes me feel like I am somehow being healthy. A win win!
4 medium zucchini (approximately 5 ounces each), rinsed and sliced in half, lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 pound lean veal, coarsely ground (I use sausage, adjust salt in recipe accordingly)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt, taste first depending on the saltiness of the sausage
1/2 teaspoon pepper
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Scoop out the insides of the zucchini halves with a small spoon. Reserve the cored halves and the insides.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add the celery and the reserved insides of the zucchini and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook it down for 1 minute. Add the veal and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it browns nicely, approximately 8 minutes. Stir in the basil and the rosemary and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl, and allow to cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, blend in the cheese, egg, butter, salt, and pepper. Fill the cored zucchini with the mixture.
Fill a baking pan with 1/4 inch of water. Place the filled zucchini halves in the pan and bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the zucchini carefully from the pan to a warm platter, spooning the juices from the pan on top of them, and serve.