Zucchini stuffed with cheese (Zucchini ripieni di cacio)

This is quite a popular recipe in Italy. Zucchini has a fairly neutral flavor and is therefore used when the filling has a mild flavor such as that provided by ricotta (cottage cheese). However, we add a little Parmesan to give it a tastier taste.

INGREDIENTS (4 people) :

• 4 medium zucchini (1 per person)
• 1 cup of ricotta / cottage cheese
• Half a cup of Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 6 slices of bread (baguette type)
• Bread crumbs
• Milk
• Salt
• Butter
• Virgin olive oil (optional)

Boil the whole and unpeeled courgettes in boiling water for five minutes. Remove - they will still be very whole - and let cool.

When they have cooled, cut them in half and with the help of a teaspoon, empty the pulp from the inside. It is not a systematic emptying, but to leave a certain thickness of pulp between the skin and the center.

Meanwhile, we will have removed the crumbs and submerged the crusts of the slices in milk to soften them.

For the filling we will beat the two eggs and mix them with the cottage cheese, the bread soaked in milk that we will have drained thoroughly, the cottage cheese and the Parmesan (or other creamy cheese) and a teaspoon of salt.

With the mixture we fill the hearts of the courgettes and cover it with a few shavings of butter or if we wish we can paint it with extra virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.

We preheat the oven to 220 degrees (430 F).

Place the stuffed courgettes in a ovenproof dish greased with butter or olive oil and cook for 45 minutes or until we notice that the top layer is golden brown and the courgettes are soft.