French cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Petits Farcis Niçois

Courgettes, tomatoes, peppers and onions stuffed with ground beef, herbs and Parmesan and baked in the oven.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 small courgettes
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 2 red peppers
• 2 onions
• 400 g ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic
• 80 g breadcrumbs
• 60 g Parmesan
• 1 egg
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Halve the courgettes lengthways, cut the tops off the tomatoes, halve the peppers and peel the onions; parboil the onions in boiling water for 5 min, then hollow out all the vegetables with a spoon and roughly chop the flesh.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and fry the chopped vegetable flesh with the crushed garlic for 6–8 min until the liquid has completely evaporated.
3. Add the ground beef and fry, breaking it up, for 5 min until browned all over; season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley and half the Parmesan, and let the mixture cool briefly.
5. Season the insides of the vegetable halves lightly with salt, fill to the brim, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and bake at 190 °C for 35–40 min until golden on top.
6. Let rest for 5 min and serve lukewarm – that's how petits farcis are eaten in Nice, not piping hot.