Dovlecei umpluti cu carne de vita si marar (Stuffed white zucchini with tomato sauce and dill)

Scroll down for English recipe

I love zucchini because is such a versatile vegetable. It can be used in sour soup, in creamy soups, stuffed, in vegetable hotchpotch and many other dishes. Today I received from my country garden some wonderful white zucchini, so I decided to stuff them with meat. Every mother and grandmother has a recipe for Stuffed Zucchini. In mine, I like to put some chopped dill to enhance their flavor.

Dovlecelul e una din legumele mele preferate, mai ales pentru ca poate fi folosit in tot felul de mancaruri: ciorba, supa- crema, umplut, ghiveci si multe altele. Astazi am primt cativa dovlecei tineri din gradina de la tara, asa ca m-am hotarat sa-i umplu cu carne. Fiecare mama si bunica are o reteta proprie. Mie imi place sa folosesc marar.

Ingredienta pentru 5 dovlecei nu foarte mari

• 5 dovlecei
• 500 g vita, tocata
• 3 linguri de orez
• 1 legatura marar
• 2 cepe medii, tocate fin
• 2 rosii date prin blender (sau 2 linguri pasta de tomate)
• 5 linguri ulei
• 4 linguri pasta de tomate
• sare, piper dupa gust
• apa fiarta

1. Pregateste dovleceii: curata-i de coaja cu aparatul special. Taie pitin din varful mai subtire si, cu o lingurita sau cu aparatul de scos cotorul merelor, scoate bine toate semintele din dovlecei.
2. Amesteca bine carnea cu orezul, sare, piper, rosiile tocate, mararul tocat fin, ceapa tocata.
3. Umple dovleceii cu amestecul de carne. 
4. Pune dovleceii intr-o cratita incapatoare, in pozitie orizontala sau verticala
5. Toarna apa fiarta peste dovlecei, astfel incat sa fie acoperiti. Toarna uleiul deasupra. Pune cratita la fiert la foc mic. 
6. Dupa 1/2 ora de fiert, adauga pasta de tomate amestecata cu 1 cana de apa.
7. Lasa dovleceii la fiert, acoperiti, cam 1 ora, la foc mic. 
8. Serveste-i calzi cu smantana. 

English version

Ingredients for5,  not very large zucchini

    * 5 zucchini
    * 500 g beef, minced
    * 3 tablespoons rice
    * 1 dill, finely chopped
    * 2 medium onions, finely chopped
    * 2 tomatoes, blended (or 2 tablespoons tomato paste)
    * 5 tablespoons oil
    * 4 tablespoons tomato paste
    * Salt and pepper to taste
    * Boiling water

   1. Prepare zucchini: Remove the skin with the potato peeler. Cut few centimeters from the thin end. With a spoon (or with the apple seeds remover), remove all seeds from zucchini.
   2. Mix together the meat with rice, salt, pepper, chopped tomatoes, finely chopped dill, chopped onion.
   3. Fill zucchini with meat mixture.
   4. Put them in a roomy pot in horizontal or vertical position
   5. Pour boiling water over zucchini, so they are covered. Pour the oil. Simmer.
   6. After half hour of cooking, add tomato paste mixed with 1 cup water.
   7. Simmer zucchini, covered, about 1 hour on low heat.
   8. Serve hot with sour cream.