Petits Farcis Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Cut the top one-third off the onions, squashes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, and set aside to use as caps. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. With a melon baller or an espresso spoon, scoop out the inside of each vegetable the best you can. Leave the walls about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Set the vegetables aside.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). To make the stuffing, in a small frying pan, sweat the onion in the oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Remove from the heat.
• 3. In a bowl, combine the veal, pork, cooked onion, egg, bread, Parmesan, thyme, fennel seeds, garlic, chile flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix together using your hands; it should have the texture of a raw meatball.
• 4. Divide the meat mixture among the vegetables, stuffing it carefully and deeply inside each one. Stand the vegetables, without their caps, in an oiled gratin dish or cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked but not colored. Remove from the oven, top each vegetable with its cap, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the tops are getting crispy and the meat is sizzling.
• 5. Remove from the oven and drizzle olive oil on top. Serve lukewarm.

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Grease a roasting tin or a tian (earthenware dish) with some olive oil.
• Cut the tops of the courgettes and tomatoes, keeping the lids.
• Using a pointed spoon, hollow out centres of the courgettes and tomatoes - leaving about 1/2" thickness as the "container".
• Place the courgettes and tomatoes into the oiled tin or tian.
• Chop up the tomato and courgette flesh finely and place into a bowl.
• Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan, wok or skillet; add the onions, garlic, and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Add the sausage meat, and break it up well - continue to cook for a further 5 minutes or until the sausage meat has browned.
• Add the chopped courgette and tomato flesh and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.
• Add the tomato puree and stirring occasionally, cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and the chopped parsley - stir well.
• Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Spoon the mixture into the vegetables - and then place the tops back on top of the courgettes and tomatoes.
• Drizzle the remaining olive oil over and around the stuffed vegetables and then pour in the white wine.
• Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, until well browned and the vegetables are soft, but still holding their shape.
• Serve tepid or at room temperature, with the cooking liquor drizzled around the petits farcis & some chopped parsley or basil sprinkled over them. All that is needed then, is some crusty bread, good wine, good company and maybe some sun!