Stuffed minced zucchini Italian style

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 large zucchini
• 250 g minced meat, mixed or minced beef
• 1 can tomatoes, chopped, seasoned with basil (400 g)
• 1 egg(s)
• 2 tbsp oat flakes or breadcrumbs
• 1 pack of garlic, frozen
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 2 tsp sugar
• 4 tsp sweet cream
• 50 g gratin cheese
• basil
• oregano
• 200 ml water or broth

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

Preheat the oven to 220°C (top/bottom heat). Bring the canned tomatoes to a boil in a saucepan with water or broth, sugar, salt, and pepper, and season to taste with additional spices and cream. Add sugar to your liking to slightly reduce the acidity of the tomatoes. Trim the ends of the zucchini and halve lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon to create a nice hollow for the filling. Mix the ground beef with the egg, oats, salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. If you don’t like garlic, use a finely chopped onion and/or chives. Spread the filling over the zucchini halves with a fork and press down firmly. First, pour the prepared tomato sauce into an oval or square baking dish, approximately 7 cm deep, then add the stuffed vegetables. The sauce shouldn’t spill over the zucchini. Ideally, it should reach just below the zucchini halves. Bake in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with gratin cheese, and place under the grill for 10 minutes. Serve with rice or warm baguette.