Stuffed Vegetables

Filling

1. First, blend the tomato sauce in a blender. Reserve half of the blended tomato for later.

2. In a deep skillet, heat ½ cup of olive oil and sauté the minced meat for 5–6 minutes until it changes color.

3. Add the finely chopped onion, zucchini, and the flesh of the eggplant, and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.

4. Stir in the rice.

5. Pour in half of the blended tomato and 1 cup of water.

6. Add salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the chopped herbs. The mixture should be quite juicy.

Stuffing the Vegetables

1. Fill each vegetable up to ¾ full because the rice will expand during baking.

2. Place the caps on the vegetables and arrange them in a deep baking dish, close together.

3. In a bowl, whisk the remaining blended tomato with the remaining 1 cup of olive oil.

4. Add salt and pepper and pour the mixture over the vegetables in the baking dish using a spoon.

5. Finally, mix the breadcrumbs with the sugar and sprinkle over the dish.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) using top and bottom heat. Cover for the first 30 minutes, then remove the cover and continue baking. Total baking time is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.