How to prepare stuffed zucchini following the rules of our chef Giovanni Rota: 10 recipes and tips to make them perfect!
Zucchini can be prepared in many different ways, can be eaten raw, cooked in the oven or fried, but make the stuffed zucchini it's the most delicious way to bring them to the table, especially if there are guests!
In Italy they are often filled with meat, in order to serve a single dish substantial, but the ideas for stuffing zucchini are endless: the delicate flavor of this vegetable allows it to be combined with a wide range of ingredients, such as meat, fish, legumes, rice, cous cous or other types of vegetables.
Furthermore, emptying the zucchini to accommodate the filling does not mean wasting their internal part: this, in fact, can be safely inserted into the stuffing, into small pieces cooked in a pan or even pureed.
So how to prepare perfect stuffed zucchini? We asked our chef for help Giovanni Rota, teacher a The Italian Cuisine School: don't miss its profits advice, starting from the choice of courgettes to the best way to cook them, and our delicious ones recipes in the gallery.
How to choose courgettes
To prepare perfect stuffed courgettes it is important first of all to choose the most suitable type of courgette. Of course, it is ideal to choose zucchini from regular shape, to allow you to cut and stuff them correctly. The long and straight ones are perfect for this recipe, but the round courgettes are also suitable for this preparation: in addition to being more resistant to long cooking, with their shape they make the stuffing easier to manage. Better not to use too large courgettes, excessively rich in watery seeds that could alter flavors and textures.
Stuffed zucchini in the oven: the chef's advice
The fundamental operation for a perfect result is, first of all, whiten courgettes. After washing them, it will be enough blanch for a few minutes in boiling water and let them cool immediately in water and ice. This will serve 3 purposes: first, they will be softer and more easy to cut and empty without risking breaking them; blanching them will also serve to moisturize more and avoid that during cooking in the oven they dry up; finally, bleaching allows you to keep them color of a brighter green.
Another relevant aspect concerns i materials used to cook them. The use of metal is not recommended, which risks dehydrating the zucchini during cooking and overcooking the part in contact with the material. The most suitable trays are those in ceramic, glass or pyrex.
THE cooking times they depend on the size of the courgettes, it will take about 20-30 minutes in a static oven at 160-180 ° (temperatures and times decrease if the oven is ventilated).
Vegetarian stuffed zucchini
Prepare stuffed zucchini without meat it's possible. The chef recommends preparing them with an original cooking method, that steamed, which will allow you to keep the properties of the vegetable more alive. Steaming is very light, but this recipe really is greedy!
After emptying the courgettes on the inside, the latter can be cut into small pieces and sautéed with the shallot. Once cooked, you can combine the beaten egg with a little milk (or cream), salt, pepper and aromatic herbs (such as thyme and parsley) and use this mixture as a filling. Steaming will create a result that is different from the usual: a firmer and firmer exterior and a really egg-shaped heart creamy.
This quick and easy recipe is perfect in its simplicity, but it can be enriched with some legumes or other vegetables, as well as carrying out in the oven.
The importance of bread
An always useful ingredient for this recipe is the bread, which can also be used stale, in order to recycle it and avoid any waste.
Once soaked in milk, just add it to the filling to make the filling even softer. In addition, it is perfect for the gratinatura: if you do not want to use cheeses, just sprinkle the grated bread on the courgettes before baking them and sprinkle everything with the extra virgin olive oil. Are you ready to enjoy a truly amazing dish!
In gallery up, 10 recipes of delicious stuffed zucchini to try absolutely!
This recipe has already been read 171 times!