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Serves 4 or 8 / Start to finish: 50 minutes
from Edible Seattle September/October 2009
This heady combination is the kind of thing that might make a person change religions.
If you’d prefer, omit the meat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot pan before sautéing the onions.
Olive oil spray
2 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds), washed but not trimmed
1/4 pound pancetta (one 1/2” thick slice) or bacon, cut into 1/2” dice
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x13” baking dish with the olive oil spray, and set aside.
Halve each zucchini lengthwise. Using a melon baller, hollow out the center of each zucchini half, leaving a 1/2” shell of zucchini on all sides. Place the shells in the baking dish. Chop the scooped-out zucchini flesh into 1/2” pieces, and reserve.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the pancetta, and cook until browned. Transfer half the pancetta (and most of its grease) to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the onion to the pan, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook 3 minutes, or until the zucchini begins to soften. Add the wine, and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil, parsley, thyme, breadcrumbs, and half the goat cheese. Season to taste.
Carefully spoon the filling into the zucchini shells, gently pressing it in with your fingers. Divide the remaining crumbled goat cheese over the tops of each zucchini half, and sprinkle with the reserved pancetta and a grinding of pepper. (Note: The stuffed zucchini may be prepared up to this point and refrigerated, covered, up to 4 hours.)
Bake for 20 minutes, until the zucchini shells are soft and the tops are beginning to brown. Serve hot.
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