Fresh zucchinis, even those late fall ones are so perfect that they do not require much cooking. Just sliced and lightly fried in olive oil with herbs can be absolutely delicious. And today's recipe is based on this idea. It came to me when I found in refrigerator a piece of leftover Gorgonzola cheese that had to be used rather fast. I decided to use it with round zucchinis I bought at Friday market.
I also made a tomato sauce from fresh, barely cooked, tomatoes. Then I cut the zucchinis, baked them, and finished them with the cheese-walnut stuffing. A simple yet delicious fall dish was ready.
Round Zucchinis Baked with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 small round zucchinis,
2 large heirloom tomatoes,
1 small onion, chopped,
2 tbsp olive oil,
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese,
2 tbsp chopped walnuts,
1/3 cup flat leaves parsley, chopped,
salt and pepper.
Preparation:
1. Blanch the tomatoes in hot water for a minute. Cool, remove the skins, and cut into small cubes.
2. In a frying pan heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry onion until soft. Add chopped tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, mix. Spread the sauce on the bottom of an oven dish large enough to contain zucchinis.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
4. Cut off the tops of the zucchinis and cut each into eight quarters not going completely to the bottom so the zucchinis keep their form. Place them on the sauce and sprinkle the tops with with salt.
5. Bake the zucchinis for about 20 minutes until their tops are slightly transparent.
6. Mix crumbled cheese with chopped walnuts and parsley and divide between zucchinis pushing the stuffing gently inside. Season with pepper.
7. Bake the zucchinis for another 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Serve with fresh baguette.
