I’ve written several times about the “first world problem” of having too many zucchini at the end of summer. We have all been there.
A co-worker brings a big shopping bag of baseball bat-sized zucchini from their home garden, and there is enough for everyone! Well, luckily, there are many zucchini recipes out there now, including zucchini muffins and cakes, zucchini pickles and even crispy zucchini chips.
Zucchini need to be “dressed up” a bit as making them without seasoning or without other ingredients can result in a rather bland vegetable side dish. One of my mother’s best summertime casseroles was a combination of sliced zucchini, cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, olive oil and lots of breadcrumbs baked until it was bubbling. Even on a hot day, it was delicious and a nice accompaniment to a grilled steak or chicken. She never wrote the recipe down but I have made a similar dish by “winging it.”
But one of my very favorite zucchini preparations is from a very old publication called the “Grass Roots Cookbook.” It is a compilation of best-loved recipes from home cooks all across the country. “Sausage Stuffed Zucchini” is a great summer dinner because it can be made early in the day and gently heated when you are ready to eat it. It only needs some ripe, sliced beefsteak tomatoes dressed in olive oil and vinegar to accompany it to the table (and maybe some heated Italian dinner rolls). For me, once the prep is done, it is an easy meal with no last minute grilling. It is perfect for a buffet table, and leftovers can be served for lunch.
Sausage Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients
- 6 medium zucchini, scrubbed well and stem ends trimmed
- A large pot of lightly salted water
- ½ pound sweet Italian sausages
- A medium onion, peeled and finely minced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup dried breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper
Directions
- Half the zucchini lengthwise and then parboil them in the lightly salted water. (You must be careful here. The recipe says to boil for 10 minutes, but you must check frequently with a little fork. You want the zucchini to be “crisp tender” and not mushy and falling apart.) When they are done, remove gently with tongs and lay on a dry, clean dishtowel to drain and cool.
- When cool, scrape out the central portions of the zucchini, leaving the shells with walls about ¼ inch thick. Chop the scooped zucchini very fine and set aside.
- Slit the casings on the sausage, scoop out the meat into a large, heavy skillet set over low heat.
- Break up the clumps with a wooden spoon and sauté very slowly until no traces of pink remain.
- The meat should be fine and crumbly, but only lightly brown.
- Add the minced onion, basil, parsley and oregano. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the reserved chopped zucchini, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Mix all together briskly with the wooden spoon.
- Fill the zucchini shells with the stuffing mixture, dividing it equally among the 12 shells and mounding it slightly in the center.
- Arrange the filled halves in a heavy baking pan with the shells touching each other for support as they bake.
- Bake uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes just until the stuffing is lightly browned.
I’ve written so often about how Italians love to “stuff things,” especially vegetables. I know the prep for these stuffed zucchinis seems a little involved, but they are a perfect summer meal and this recipe makes a lot. Make ahead of time, and dinner will come together easily. Even people who don’t like zucchini will like these. Enjoy the best of summer. It is passing by so quickly.
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