Mediterranean stuffed marrow

Babiche Martens

I love nothing more than lifting up the large green leaves of my courgette plants in late summer to see what’s hiding beneath. If it's a monster courgette, don’t throw it out. Instead, make soup for the freezer or, as I have done here, stuff it. By scooping out the fleshy inside, the marrow works as a great vessel to hold this Mediterranean beef mix. Serve with a salad and if there’s any left over, it’s delicious the next day.

Ingredients

1	Marrow, approx. 30cm (Main)
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1	Onion, chopped
3 cloves	Garlic, crushed
400 g	Beef mince (Main)
1 tsp	Smoked paprika
1 tsp	Thyme
1 tsp	Oregano
1 pinch	Chilli flakes
2 cups	Tomato passata (Main)
½ cup	Fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup	Sundried tomatoes, chopped (Main)
½ cup	Artichoke hearts, chopped, optional
1 cup	Rocket
100 g	Feta, crumbled
½ cup	Grated parmesan cheese (Main)
½ cup	Chopped parsley
2 Tbsp	Oil, for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 180C.
2. Slice the marrow down the middle, scoop out and discard the large seeds, leaving an even shell.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, cooking for a few minutes to soften. Add the mince and cook until lightly browned. Add the paprika, thyme, oregano and chilli flakes, stirring through. Add the passata and cook for 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and delicious. Pour into a large bowl.
4. Add the breadcrumbs, tomatoes, artichokes, rocket, feta, parmesan and half the parsley, mixing well.
5. Place the marrow into a large lined baking dish. Fill the two halves with the savoury mixture. Drizzle over the oil. Pour 1 cup of water around the base, cover dish tightly with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes. Stick a skewer into the marrow to see if it is cooked — it should be soft. If not, continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until softened.
6. Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley.

More of Angela's late-summer, vege-based recipes

• Spicy corn and courgette salad with chicken
• Bean and spinach salad