zucchetti w/meatballs

Recipe by
Rustie Daye
Hillsboro, OR

If you have a mandolin or a variable slicer, this works great.

yield 6 -8
prep time 40 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For zucchetti w/meatballs

  • 5 c
    zucchini - yellow and green
  • 1 1/4 lb
    sweet italian sausage or ground beef
  • 1 c
    tofu, firm
  • 1 lg
    egg
  • 1 stalk
    celery, chopped finely
  • 1/2 c
    onion, chopped finely
  • 1 can
    diced tomatoes - flavored is fine - 16 oz
  • 2 1/4 Tbsp
    unsalted butter
  • 1 clove
    fresh garlic or equivalent
  • 1 tsp
    oregano, dried

How To Make zucchetti w/meatballs

  • 1
    In a large bowl, mix sausage, chopped onion, garlic, and celery. Add tofu and mix well with wooden spoon; (metal makes the tofu taste funny). Crack in egg and mix one final time.
  • 2
    In a deep skillet, brown meatballs until almost cooked through. You can also put them in the oven(toaster oven) on 350 and bake. Either is good. Once the meatballs are just short of done, add in the diced tomatoes, and any other spices you wish. Add butter.
  • 3
    While the meatballs are finishing, you need to take the zucchini and slice it on the mandolin length-wise; then julien the length-wise slices. When you've finished, add to the meatballs and serve. It takes about 30 seconds for the zucchini to cook.
  • 4
    ALTERNATIVE STEP: If you don't want to use tomatoes, then add mushrooms; or use both. If you want to just make a simple butter sauce and leave the tomatoes out; push the meatballs aside in the skillet and put the butter in, adding cornstarch (mixed with warm water)to the butter. As it thickens, add the zucchini at the end and serve. Delicious!!
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