The Mediterranean Lifestyle - English

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

INGREDIENT­S 1 lb/450 g ground beef 2-3 medium zucchinis 1 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/4 red pepper (chopped) 4 oz/120 g mozzarella cheese (shredded) 1 oz/30 g Parmesan cheese 1 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/8 tsp oregano, dried 1/4 tsp basil, dried 1/2 cup Italian parsley (fresh) 4 oz/120 g Extra Virgin Olive Oil 5 tbsp lemon juice 6 oz/170 g tomatoes (diced)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F/ 200 °C.

2. Split the Zucchinis in half (length-wise, and core the inside to make a “boat”).

3. Place and arrange on a flat pan.

4. Drizzle EVOO inside each of the cored zucchinis.

5. Bake the zucchinis for 15 minutes at 400 °F/ 200 °C.

6. Remove the zucchinis from the oven and let cool.

7. Then add 1 oz/30 g of the shredded mozzarella and one-third of the Parmesan cheese to the cored zucchinis.

8. In a large pan or wok, add a few tablespoon­s of EVOO, and fry the cored zucchini for about 5 minutes on mediumhigh heat, to dry them out slightly.

9. Add the red pepper to the pan, and continue to fry for another 5 minutes.

10. Keeping the other ingredient­s in the pan separated from it, add the ground beef and fry until lightly browned.

11. Once the ground beef is browned, lower the heat, and mix together with all the rest of the ingredient­s that are in the pan.

12. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, and 1/4 cup (half) of the parsley.

13. Add the bread crumbs and mix.

14. Turn off heat, but leave the pan on the burner.

15. Add 2 oz/60 g mozzarella, and one-third Parmesan cheese, then mix.

16. Next, separate the liquid from the diced tomatoes, and add them to the mixture, saving the liquid for later.

Be sure that the stuffing is well mixed.

17. Add the mixture to a zucchini boat and over-fill. Do the same with all the others.

18. Top the boats with 1 oz/30 g mozzarella cheese and the last third of the Parmesan cheese.

19. Using the tomato liquid, coat each of the boats with equal quantities.

20. Drizzle EVOO over each boat.

21. Bake the boats for approximat­ely 25-30 minutes (top rack of the oven) until golden brown —checking the baking at about the 20 minute mark.

Enjoy!