Michele Romano Recipes

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large green or yellow zucchini. I prefer not to use the huge ones, but in between. Just right medium size zucchini, just like Goldilocks)
• 1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground chicken)
• 1/4 lb. Italian sausage (I prefer hot)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• 1 small yellow pepper, diced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 – 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced, (for fall color I like using yellow and red tomatoes)

• 1-500 gram carton cottage cheese
• 2 green onion tops, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh basil or Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan, Romano cheese

• 2 cups Mozzarella, four cheese Italian blend, or marble cheese, grated

Preparation:

1. In a large skillet, or fry pan, scramble fry beef (or chicken if using) and Italian sausage until light colored.
2. Add in onions, garlic, oregano and peppers, and mushrooms if using.
3. Add in sliced cherry tomatoes.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Take meat mixture off heat and set aside to cool.
6. Mix cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, green onions, egg and basil or parsley together in a bowl.
7. Season with salt and pepper, mix thoroughly into meat mixture.
8. Meanwhile, cut zucchini length wise and using a large spoon, hollow out the meat and seeds to make it like a canoe.
9. Place zucchini in baking dish skin side down.
10. Stuff the zucchini canoes with mixture as full as possible.
11. Top with grated cheese.
12. Add 1/2 cup water to dish, cover lightly with tin foil.
13. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until zucchini is soft and cheese on top is golden brown. (Cook time also depends on size of zucchini.)
14. Note: If top is not browning, remove tin foil for last 10 min.

Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 40 min.
Serves: 6 to 8

Live Long and Mangia!