Zucchini gratin (zucchine gratinate)

An impressive recipe of hollowed and stuffed zucchinis. The filling is made up of breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic and cheese. Vegetarians and omnivores will love them.

• makes

  8

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 3 cups (210 g) fresh breadcrumbs (preferably homemade – see Note)
• 2 cups (160 g) grated pecorino or parmigiano
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or minced
• 4–5 marjoram leaves
• 4–5 oregano leaves
• 1–2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 zucchini (courgettes)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, herbs and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Cut the zucchini in half lengthways. Using a spoon or a paring knife, scoop out some of the flesh, then fill the zucchini shells with the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the prepared tray, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown.

Note

• To make breadcrumbs, simply blitz stale bread in a food processor until coarsely chopped. The breadcrumbs will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

This recipe is from Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca. To find out more about the show, check out the episode guide, or scroll through Silvia's recipes. Tune in at 8pm, Thursday 27 November on SBS ONE.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.