Ricotta and Zucchini Involtini with Balsamic Flavour Pearls

If you’re looking for a delicious meat free meal give this recipe for Ricotta and Zucchini Involtini with Balsamic Flavour Pearls a go. Just perfect with some crusty Bread and a side Salad. Perhaps a side of grilled Lamb Cutlets for the meat lovers too! If you bake it in a resonably good looking dish you can just pop it on the table for everyone to help themselves.

What you’ll need

• Olive Oil
• Onion – dice
• Garlic – 1 or 2 cloves, crush
• Tin Tomatoes – diced or crushed
• Tomato paste – 1 tablespoon
• Sugar  – pinch
• Bay leaf – 2
• Thyme – 1/2 bunch, chopped (or Basil)
• Parsley – 1/2 to 1 bunch, chopped
• Lemon – zest of 1
• Egg
• Salt & Pepper
• Ricotta – 350g aprox
• Parmesan shredded – 3 tablespoons
• Zucchini – 2 or 3 aprox 
• Balsamic Flavour Pearls

To do

Let’s prepare the sauce first. I actually cooked mine in the dish that you see in the photo (less washing up!) but if your dish isn’t able to go on the stove please put a pot on the stove. Add a splash of Olive Oil, the diced Onions, Garlic and Bay Leaves with some Salt & Pepper. Cook until it becomes a little coloured. Add the tin of Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, some Thyme and Parsley. Maybe a pinch of Sugar if you feel it needs a little sweetening. Cook for a few minutes until it’s nice and glossy and you are happy with the flavour. You can always add more seasoning or additional herbs. Set it aside for the moment. 

Next

Pop your oven on to 180c if you will be serving immediately. We need to slice the Zucchini into ribbons aproximately 3 – 5 mm thick. I used a Mandoline slicer. You can buy them pretty cheaply at Kmart these days. If you don’t have one just slice with a knife. After they are sliced, season and lighlty oil them and cook on a Grill Plate, BBQ or Fry Pan until slightly coloured and a little soft. Allow them to cool on a tray or your bench, you’ll need them in a sec anyway.

In a bowl combine the Ricotta, Egg, Lemon Zest and Parmesan with some Thyme, Parsley and seasoning. Squish it up and have a taste. Add more Salt & Pepper or Cheese or Lemon Zest if you feel it needs it. 

Roll spoonfulls into a nice ball and roll up with a ribbon of the cooked Zucchini. Continue until all of the mix has been ‘wrapped’. Nestle them into the prepared Tomato Sauce in your oven proof dish. Feel free to top with grated Cheese if you like at this point too. (I didn’t but it would be yum) Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the Ricotta is hot in the centre and Zucchini nicely cooked too. 

To serve

Simply add a few Balsamic Flavour Pearls onto each of Zucchini & Ricotta Involtini and enjoy.

Until next time

From the Peninsula Larder Team

“The real question is should we trust people who don’t like cheese?” 

 — Jim Gaffigan