Veg Stuffed Zucchini

                 I didn't know about Zucchini when I am in India. After coming to US, whenever I go to buy veggies, I see this little, cute green vegetable. But I don't know how to use them in my cooking. Every time I see them and they see me and the story between us continuing like a weekly serial...( as I go to store weekly :-). One day I went to an Italian restaurant with my husband and his friends, one of his friend ordered an appetizer. They are like banana bajji, I asked them, what is it? He told that it is made with zucchini. A big smile on my face, my weekly serial came to an end.
                I want to try different recipes with zucchini. So I prepared stuffed zucchini, an Italian appetizer. Zucchini is a summer squash.Zucchini is low in calories and contains useful amounts of folate, potassium and vitamin A.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time:  30 min

Ingredients:

• 2 Zucchinis
• 1/2 small onion
• 1/2 small tomato
• 1/4 bell pepper/ capsicum
• 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp basil powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed red chilli ( If you are preparing for kid, skip it)
• 4 tsp  bread crumbs
• 4 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp olive oil

Method: 

 

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Cut zucchini into half lengthwise. Scoop the pulp out of the zucchini halves, using a spoon. Chop the pulp and keep aside.
• Bring water to a boil in a pot, reduce heat, place the zucchini halves in it and cook until zucchini are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove zucchinis from water and sprinkle salt.
• In a pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil, add garlic saute for a min and add chopped pulp, saute for 3 min.
• Add 4 tsp bread crumb pwd and mix well. Spoon this mixture into zucchini shells.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle olive oil in a baking pan, place the zucchini shells in the pan and bake for 20 min.