Mediterranean stuffed courgette
When I have some leftover Bolognese sauce, I make a chilli from it. Then, if there is still some leftover, I just stuff some veggies – such as courgette, bell pepper or marrow – and bake it in the oven. This time I’ve specially cooked a spiced-up version of the Italian Bolognese sauce and made some Mediterranean-style stuffed courgette topped with mozzarella cheese. This dish is ideal for a laid-back dinner party, as you can prepare the stuffing well in advance! You can use mushrooms instead of bell peppers for the recipe. If dairy is an issue, leave out the cheese! If you have any leftover meat sauce, just serve it with some pasta the next day!
Ingredients
Method
- Put the beef into a heavy based pan and cook gently until the meat has changed colour and the fat or liquid has released. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile finely chop the onion, garlic, pepper and carrot. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Heat the olive oil in the pan, add the onion and garlic, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the carrots and pepper. Sauté gently, under cover, for 5 minutes, then add the dried herb and the tomato purée. Stir for a minute, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Using a hand-held mixer, process the mixture into a coarse sauce (it should be lumpy). Add the meat, stir and cook for a few minutes, until you get a thick meat sauce. Taste it and adjust the seasoning (add more chilli flakes, if you want to have a bit of heat). Let it rest until you’re ready to stuff the courgette.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Cut the courgette in half lengthwise, then, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, creating a boat. Put these on an oiled roasting tray.
- Add the parmesan to the meat sauce and fill the courgette halves with this mixture. Put the tray in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the courgette is cooked through.
- Slice the mozzarella and put these on top of the stuffed courgette.
- Set the oven to grill, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is golden and has melted.
- Serve immediately with your chosen side dish.