Italian Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 m.-large zucchini
• 3 potatoes
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 egg(s)
• 200 g minced beef
• 30 g ham
• 70 g sheep’s cheese or goat’s cheese
• 100 ml crème fraîche
• Paprika powder, hot
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• Marjoram and/or thyme, optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Based on a farmer’s recipe from Italy

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut into small pieces. Cut the ham and cheese into small pieces. Halve the zucchini from the thick end and cut upwards a few centimeters from the stem to create a “boat.” Hollow out the cut area with a sharp spoon, leaving a 5 mm border. Finely chop some of the zucchini pieces for the filling. In a bowl, mix the egg with the crème fraîche and season with salt and pepper. Thin with a little milk if desired. Season the ground beef with pepper, paprika, and salt. Add a little marjoram or thyme to taste. In a pan, fry the potato pieces, onion, garlic, and ham in hot olive oil over medium heat until browned. Add the zucchini pieces and cook briefly. At the same time, fry the ground beef in a second pan. Remove the pan with the potatoes from the heat, add the ground beef and cheese, and mix well. Place the zucchini in a baking dish and fill it with the mixture. Spread the remaining filling around the zucchini. Slowly pour the sauce over the filling with a spoon until the zucchini is completely full. Bake for approximately 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C.