Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 large zucchini, 12 to 14 inches long or 3 to 4 medium zucchini
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 slices bread, pulsed in food processor or blender to make fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook it gently, stirring often and breaking it into small bits, until it is nearly cooked through but not quite finished. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl and leave it there for now.
2. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. With a metal spoon, hollow out the centers, keeping the zucchini shells about 1/4-inch thick. Pick out and discard any large, tough seeds from the zucchini flesh you removed. Chop about 1 cup of that flesh; anything beyond that can be used elsewhere, thrown away, or composted.
3. There should be 1 tablespoon of fat left in the skillet from the sausage. If the pan is short, pour in enough olive oil to bring it to at least 1 tablespoon, then set it over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the chopped zucchini and cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer, then scrape everything from the skillet into the bowl with the sausage.
4. Add the remaining stuffing ingredients to the sausage and onion mixture.
5. Set the zucchini halves in a baking dish and spoon in the stuffing. If you want to pause here, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Pour 1/4-inch of water into the bottom of the pan so the zucchini cooks evenly and the underside does not dry out too much in the oven.
6. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes. Let the zucchini rest briefly so it can cool a bit before serving.