Baked Zucchini

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 4-8

Ingredients

60ml extra virgin olive oil

8 grey zucchini (also called marrow)

1/4 cup of instant couscous

1 tbsp capers, drained

1 tbsp each of parsley, basil, mint and chives

1 tbsp pine nuts

2 tbsp ricotta

2 tbsp pecorino cheese, grated

1 egg, whisked

1 x (400g) can of crushed tomatoes

Salt & pepper

Method

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Place couscous in a large bowl, scoop out 1/4 of a cup of boiling water and pour over couscous. Cover with cling film and let stand to swell for 5 minutes. Use a fork to separate grains once cooked.

Place the whole zucchini in the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove, drain and cool, enough to handle. Cut the zucchini in half and scoop out the soft flesh with a melon baller or teaspoon, leaving a 2mm border. Finely chop the flesh and set aside.

Add the herbs to the couscous along with the capers, pinenuts, egg, ricotta and ¾ of the pecorino. Mix together with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stuff each zucchini half with the mixture; pressing down to ensure it is compact and sandwich them back together to form a whole zucchini again.

Place ¾ of the crushed tomato can into a baking tray and add the reserved zucchini flesh. Drizzle over a teaspoon of oil, a little of the pecorino and season sauce with salt and pepper. Arrange the zucchinis on top of sauce and then add the remaining tomato, pecorino, a little oil and salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven at 200C for 30-40 minutes.