Zucchini season is upon us here in the Western hemisphere, that time when gardeners large and small wrestle with an abundance of ripe summer squash. To help you take advantage of this bounty, this month we will explore the culinary and health benefits of this ubiquitous vegetable (technically a fruit). Zucchini is rich in vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidant carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta carotene, which can help protect skin from the harmful rays of the sun and may play a role in preventing cancer and heart disease.
No time for summer travel? Let this week’s recipe for Zucchini Ripiene transport you to Italy for a delicious culinary vacation. It was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody.
“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”
– MFK Fisher
Notes
The tomato sauce is very versatile and can also be used to braise the meat mixture after forming into polpette (meatballs). The sauce with zucchini ripieni or polpette can be served with spaghetti or other long pasta.
This is a good dish to double for entertaining. It may be made ahead of time (e.g., in the morning for the evening meal) if left at room temperature so that it will not overcook when reheated.
Ingredients
- 12 medium or 3–4 large zucchini
- Sugo di Pomodori e Cipolla
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium cooking onions or 2 huge Bermuda onions (if using all-purpose onions, soak in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes to make them milder tasting. Drain well on paper towels)
- 3 cups whole plum tomatoes, fresh or canned
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Dash freshly ground pepper
- Ripieno (Stuffing)
- ¾ pound twice-ground beef
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (you can either grate whole nutmeg or use commercial ground nutmeg)
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 slices day old Italian bread or ½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs (panko Japanese-style breadcrumbs work great and are handy to have in the pantry)
Instructions
- Sugo di Pomodori e Cipolla
- Cut onions in half through the stems and each half (with the cut side down) into the thinnest slivers possible. Put the oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook them until limp and transparent. Turn off the heat for a few minutes to allow the oil to cool, then add tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks before adding them. If using canned plum tomatoes, mash them a bit. Add salt and a few grinds of pepper to the sauce and turn up the heat until the sauce boils. Then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes, or until the tomatoes have practically disintegrated and the liquid has reduced almost by half.
- Zucchini
- Cut tops and tips off zucchini. The large ones should then be cut into slices 2 fingers thick; the medium ones should be cut in half or about as long as an apple corer. Slide the corer into the center of each piece of zucchini as far as you can, turn completely around, and then pull out. The core should come out in its entirety. If it does not, turn the zucchini around and core from the other end. Make sure to remove all seeds so that there are empty centers large enough to be stuffed.
- Ripieno (Stuffing)
- Put the meat into a large bowl, and add the eggs, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and cheese. Wet the bread with water, squeeze out the liquid, and shred into the meat mixture. If the bread crusts are too hard, discard. Mix well, but not harshly. Fill each piece of zucchini with meat mixture, but do not pack too tightly. Place the stuffed pieces in the simmering sauce, and cover. Raise the heat to medium for about 15 minutes, or until the flesh of the zucchini is tender but still firm. Taste the sauce for salt, adding some if necessary.