I have to be honest here. My husband came across this recipe on the internet, wanted to try it, but chickened out. He asked me to cook it, as it looked too complicated to him. My heart wasn’t really in it, because I’ve seen too many mediocre stuffed zucchini recipes to really trust another. But, it meant a lot to him — actually the addition of Italian sausage to the recipe meant a lot to him — so I gave it a go.
The result? The stuffing was delicious.
I do recognize a good idea when I see one, however. The combination of flavors in this recipe is tried and true. It was the zucchini, itself, that left me flat. I do want to try this again, but GRILL the zucchini a bit, first. I plan to brush the scooped out zucchini with a little olive oil and SEASON it well. I’ll grill it until it just begins to soften, and then fill and bake as the recipe directs.
Now, THAT should be delicious!
Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients
extra virgin olive oil
2 Italian sausages, casings removed
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
about 1/4 cup white wine (I probably used red)
1 can chopped tomatoes (or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped)
1 tsp oregano
Kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper
1-2 Tbl chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used an Italian blend)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan. Add the sausage and break it up; saute until it begins to brown. Add the chopped onion and when it begins to soften, add the garlic. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with a small amount of wine.
Add the sliced zucchini, tomato, oregano and salt & pepper to taste. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Let the stuffing cool, then mix in half of the cheese. Stuff the zucchini with the sausage mixture, and top with the remainder of the cheese.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven, until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
———–