One thing that I will miss once we’ve left Perth for the UK in a couple of months is the 10km jog stroke walk that Mr. Scrummy and I diligently do around the beautiful river here in the city early every Saturday morning. I’ll let you imagine how much running vs. walking we do, but in any case there are great paths to run stroke walk on, provided that you can dodge the bikes zipping past so fast that I think they must be training for the Tour de France. There’s also a good collection of birdlife such as black swans and flocks and flocks of scraggy-looking birds called shags and nine times out of ten it’s beautifully sunny, albeit a little chilly when we first set off. Really, what more could a guy and gal out in the open air ask for?
In my last post I told you all about my short but sometimes interesting little wander from home to the local supermarket. Well, just like this, on our weekly jog stroke walk around the river we sometimes come across some surprising sights. No word of a lie, one time as we approached what we assumed was a wedding party gathered in a big open tent, who should we spot giving a speech as we got closer but Richard Branson! Right there at that moment at a random spot along the river bank in Perth Australia. Amazing. We stopped and listened for a moment, of course, and were treated to a couple of Richard’s jokes and down-to-earth bantering with his staff. Who would have thought it?
This is also a great place for people-watching. Most people are doing pretty ‘normal’ things for this spot such as cooking breakfast on the public BBQ grills dotted alongside the paths, tying up balloons in wooden shelters in preparation for birthday parties for family or friends or feeding the swans (erm … should I tell them a swan can break a child’s arm??)
But there have also been a few curious sights. Occasionally we see one of those bikes that you peddle while lying horizontally, which always makes me smile a bit. There was also the time that we saw a man jogging past in what looked like a woman’s sports bra-like running top. To reduce wind resistance, maybe? To reduce sweating? Very curious indeed. But possibly the icing on the ‘curious sights around the river’ cake was the couple we saw last week. A man was walking in front of a lady and as we passed he said ‘Come on, dear’ or something along those lines. Nothing strange about this, except for the fact that the lady was wearing a woolly hat pulled right down over her face so that she couldn’t see. There were no holes in the hat, just a couple of ‘eyes’ made out of material stuck onto the front! I wish I had a picture to show you. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything more ridiculous!
Finally, I’d better admit that we possibly add to the curious sights ourselves. Or Mr. Scrummy does, anyway. He insists on wearing footwear that he calls ‘monkey shoes’ which are a sort of barefoot running shoe that fits onto your feet almost like a glove. Hmmm … now the less said about those the better.
Now there is absolutely no connection between this little description and the turkey & zucchini ‘parmigiana’ dish that I’m about to tell you about other than the fact that the inspiration for it came to me suddenly while on this weekly little outing. All those bizarre sights obviously got the creative juices flowing.
Once again, this is an incredibly easy dish that is really just sausage-shaped meatballs made of turkey mince with grated zucchini and herbs, all baked on top of a tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese and fresh basil. A bit like a chicken parmigiana dish but with a twist, if you like. The first time I made it I used a jar of supermarket tomato sauce, so the whole dish was super quick and easy to make. This way is certainly fine, especially if you’re short of time, but I made this a second time using my own homemade marinara sauce and the dish was lifted up to a whole new level. You can always do what I did and make the sauce the day before. Even better if you make a double batch so that you have plenty left over for pizzas or just plain marinara dipping sauce another time.
There are a couple of other things to note here, and then you’re ready to get into the kitchen and start cooking! You need to take a few extra moments to squeeze some of the moisture out of the grated zucchini before adding it to your meatball mixture so that it isn’t too ‘sloppy’. You also need to chill the mixture for at least half an hour or so so that it’s easier to shape into the sausage-shaped pieces. Finally, I found that it was much better to brown the meatballs for a few minutes than to just put them straight into the oven to bake. They are quite soft and delicate but I found that by shaping them in my hands, placing them straight into a hot pan, carefully rolling them so that they brown on all sides then carefully lifting them into the baking dish with a fish slice they survived just fine.
The first time, I reserved a little of the tomato sauce to pour over the top of the meat a few minutes before the end of cooking with all the cheese on top of that. The second time, I actually forgot to do this and just put the cheese straight down the middle of the meat. The choice really is yours. For the sake of aesthetics I also arranged the meat in just a single row down the centre of my baking dish. This ends up feeding only 2 to 3 people if baked in a medium-sized baking dish so what you could do if you’re feeding more is use a larger dish and turn the meat the other way around so that you can fit more in. You can even shape the meat and zucchini mixture into meatballs rather than sausage-shaped logs if you prefer. The taste of course would be exactly the same.
I’ll leave you with the recipe and a question. What are the most curious sights you’ve ever seen while out and about? Come on now, give me a little giggle!
Turkey & zucchini ‘parmigiana’
Ingredients
- 1 pound minced turkey
- 2 medium-sized zucchini coarsely grated
- 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg lightly whisked
- a little olive oil for searing the meatballs
- 28 ounces quantity of homemade or jarred tomato sauce about 1 can tomato sauce (I used my own recipe for homemade marinara sauce)
- grated cheese & fresh basil leaves for scattering over the top
- toasted bread and fresh salad leaves to serve optional
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C.
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Put the minced turkey into a large bowl. Extract some of the moisture out of the zucchini by blotting it with kitchen paper, then add the squeezed-out zucchini to the bowl as well.
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Put the garlic, onion, herbs, cayenne pepper and salt & pepper into a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the mixture to the turkey along with the egg and mix well. Chill the mixture for at least half an hour in the fridge.
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Heat up a skillet/frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in it. Meanwhile, pour a good layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of your dish.
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Shape tablespoons of the mixture into sausage-shapes with your hands. Place them carefully in the hot pan and sear them on all sides for a couple of minutes. Remove them carefully with a metal slice and place them in one or two rows down the centre of your baking dish.
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Bake for 30 minutes. Then pour a little more tomato sauce over the top of the meat and sprinkle plenty of cheese over the top of that. Bake for another 3 or 4 minutes until the cheese is melted. Scatter with plenty of fresh basil just before serving.
Recipe Notes
You can either use a large baking dish to prepare this meal for 4 people, or use the ingredients to make 2 meals for 2 people in a smaller baking dish. I split my mixture into 2 and froze half for another time.
I put one neat row of the minced turkey and zucchini ‘sausages’ down the centre of my smaller dish for aesthetic purposes, but you could turn them around and arrange them in the dish the other way around to make better use of the space!
You could even make little meat balls instead of the ‘sausages’ if you prefer.
You can also vary the herbs in the meatballs if you like. Don’t like rosemary? No problem, use thyme, oregano or basil instead. Don’t fancy adding the mint? Then don’t!
I used one of these
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whatjessicabakednext says
This looks amazing, Helen! Parmigiana is one of my favourite Italian dishes! Definitely bookmarking this to make soon! 🙂
Helen says
Thanks, Jess! So glad you approve. We thought this was really tasty, so I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Sounds like you have some interesting and amazing views, Helen! I absolutely love people-watching. It’s what I do most whenever I go to a sporting event or other gatherings! And I’ve always been curious about those horizontal bikes, too.
This parmigiana looks amazing! I love that you put a creative twist on it. I always have a lot of zucchini around in the summer, so what a great recipe to try it out on! Hope you have a great weekend!
Helen says
Hi, Gayle! I could sit and people-watch all day long, especially sitting in a cafe in the sun with big mugs of coffee!
I’m a little envious that you have zucchini in your garden. I paid almost 2 dollars EACH for my zucchini over here. Ouch. Hope you have a great weekend, too!
Eva says
C’est vraiment un bon repas ! Tu connais les albondigas en Espagne? J’ai me demandé si c’est un peu pareil ou pas de tout! En tout cas, il a l’air drôlement bon ! J’envie d’aller en Espagne en vacances pour marché autour du lac, c’est vrai qu’il y a des endroits qui nous inspirent pour faire de l’exercice 😉
Helen says
Oui, c’est vrai! Je me demande si j’aurai la meme inspiration de faire l’exercise en Angleterre sans cette riviere tant parfaite pour nos samedis matins. Je crois que ce repas ressemble ‘un peu’ aux albondigas, mais avec le dinde et les courgettes. J’adore ces albondigas en Espagne, Eva!
Bon week-end!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
Hi Helen!
Well, a curious thing that I saw out was actually in Disney World, We were in line to ride the Peter Pan ride and saw parents rip off their kids underwear and have them pee right in line. Ewww. Then we saw people step in it. How yucky i.
Anyhow, another beautiful dish, another big score. Got the zukes in my garden. Check. Got the basil in my garden. Check. Now if there was only a mozzarella plant! How many of those would you grow!!!
Helen says
My goodness, they must have been pretty desperate to go on that ride!
I have the solution to your ‘no mozzarella plant’ problem, Laura. Just buy a few buffalo! I’m sure they’ll be just fine there hanging out with the deer and squirrels … 🙂
Jessica @ Jessiker Bakes says
This parmigiana looks so yummy Helen! I love fresh mozzarella and will be digging into this.
Helen says
Thanks, Jessica! You can use mozzarella but actually any cheese is fine! Enjoy!
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
We love people -watching. Whenever we go out to any town event or festival my son and husband have the best time people watching.
I love this recipe and the parmigiana twist 😀
Helen says
Thanks, Cindy! I think I could people-watch all day. Yes, I’m a bit nosy! 🙂
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
Hahaha we love people watching in NYC! There’s some …ahem… very interesting things to witness and see!
Love this dish! Looks so comforting and healthy!
Helen says
Ooh, I bet there is, Chris! The world capital of people-watching, perhaps? 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Wow! Gorgeous pictures and a comforting dish 🙂
Helen says
Thanks, Medha!
cheri says
Hi Helen, chuckled a few times reading this post, people watching is definitely a great sport. Love this parmigiana, great combination of flavors!
Helen says
Glad to have made you smile, Cheri! And glad you like the dish, of course!
sherry from sherryspickings says
this dish does look delish. i will have to try it.
Helen says
Thanks, Sherry!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Oh my gosh, you have me laughing! Firstly about the crazy lady with the weird hat, and secondly the shoes…Ben has a pair of those and I told him I wouldn’t be seen in public when he’s wearing them LOL. This zucchini parm looks delish, I am about to come into a LOT of zucchini and this will come in handy!
Helen says
So glad I can help you make use of your zucchini, Denise! And give you a little giggle 😉
I’ve actually got used to hubby’s ‘monkey shoes’ now. I even went to a cafe with him after our run yesterday and he still had them on. 🙂
marcie says
You always have the greatest stories to tell Helen — Perth sounds like a great people-watching city for sure! I love the one about the man in the woman’s sports bra. haha This is such a great use of zucchini — it must make the meat so moist! I need to do this next time I made meatballs or meatloaf! This looks like one delicious dish! 🙂
Helen says
Hehehe … yes, I know you shouldn’t laugh at people but we really couldn’t help it when we saw that. The zucchini really does make the meatballs really moist, Marcie. It’s delicious so yes, do give it a try!
[email protected] says
Oh how i love parmigiana! This one I have to try, never tried it with meat before. And you made me laugh too!
Helen says
Glad to have made you giggle! Do give this a try, Adriana. I loved it, especially the version with the homemade sauce. 🙂
Sofia says
You know what, my brother lives in Perth and one of the things he loves doing is birdwatching and photographing. Actually one of my early memories of when I lived there when I was young was feeding the black swans, there were so many! What a delicious looking recipe. xx
Helen says
I was really shocked when I first saw all those black swans! We even saw some pelicans this last Saturday as well, Sofia! It’s so lovely around that river …
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe what a collection of unusual sights seen there! And I can’t believe that Richard Branson was there! 😮
Helen says
I know! He seemed pretty nice, actually … and funny, too! 🙂
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Ahhh, delicious, Helen! One of my favorite meatloaf recipes calls for grated zucchini thrown into the mix. I do love all things Italian-inspired too, so this meal is calling my name! I love that it can also be whipped up quickly by using a store-bought sauce. Quick after-work meals are always valuable to have!
As far as odd sights seen out and about, I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch of them, but I’ve been out driving and have randomly seen the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile on two separate occasions – one in New Jersey and the other in California. They have a few vehicles in existence, but it’s quite a surprise to be driving on the highway next to a giant hot dog on wheels!
Helen says
Oh that would be hilarious to be driving next to a giant hot-dog! I’ve never heard of the Wienermobile! Thanks for giving me a giggle!
So glad you like the sound of the parmigiana. I loved this meal and will definitely be making it again!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
Perth has amazing cycle and walking paths and I hope you can find something similar in the UK! Those monkey shoes make my toes twitch just thinking of them. We have some colourful characters around but nothing stands out worth mentioning. Very worth mentioning is how fantastic this dish looks!
Helen says
Thank you so much, Tandy! I think the cycle and walking paths around the river here would be difficult to beat anywhere. They’re amazing and this last Saturday I even noticed that there are pelicans there as well. Gorgeous! So glad you like the dish! 🙂
[email protected] TheGastronomicBong says
Lol… a man jogging wearing a woman’s sports bra.. hahaha. I had a good laugh.. made my day..
Helen!! Parmigiana looks absolutely delicious.. I loved the meat and grated zucchini mixture.. I have never paired them together… can’t wait to try it!! 🙂
Helen says
Do give this a try, Arpita … it’s wonderful. I want to try it in a burger next! Glad I could make you smile a little today! 🙂
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
This looks like the perfect dinner. I soo want this!
Helen says
Thanks, Jocelyn! 🙂
Joanne says
Oh the things one sees while running…that’s part of the fun of it! 😛 I am all about lasagna all the time. Love how veggielicious this is!
Helen says
Veggielicious … love it! You’re right about the running… I bet you see tons of funny sights!
Louisa [Living Lou] says
Oh I just love people watching, Helen! That sounds like a wonderful spot to see all sorts of different folks. You’ll have to find an equally interesting people watching spot in the UK. Great recipe as always, and I’ve already heard from friends with gardens that they are swimming in zucchini!
Helen says
Ooh, I wish I had some friends like that! Enjoy! You’re right, we will have to find a good people-watching spot in the UK! So happy you like the recipe, Louisa. This was one of my favourite home-cooked meals in a long time.
Shashi @ runninsrilankan(dot)com says
I must say I love people watching – but I don’t think I’ve come across anyone as entertaining as the folks yall have seen – but I am curious – I goolged “stroke walk ” but couldn’t figure it out…so please please share with me the method to yalls “stroke walk “!
Btw, this is a gorgeous gorgeous dish – so much color and that rosemary and mint must have smelt wonderful married with all the other ingredients!
Helen says
Hehehe … by ‘run stroke walk’ I meant run/walk i.e. we walk more than we run!! Must be an English English-American English thing, Shashi!! Sorry about the confusion!
Thanks so much for the compliment on the dish … it was indeed really tasty, especially the second time with the homemade sauce. Yum yum. 🙂
Isadora @ she likes food says
People watching is one of my favorite things to do! I bet you have so many interesting people to watch! This turkey zucchini parmigiana looks so good and I bet my husband would even love it, which is always a plus! The melted cheese on top looks amazing and is making my mouth water as I am typing this!
Helen says
Yes, hubby-pleasing dishes are definitely a bonus. Mine loved this, too! Glad to have made your mouth water, Isadora!
Mariana @The Candid Kitchen says
10 Km, Wow! I am pretty happy nowadays with running for a mile without collapsing on the floor out of breath. I love this dish, and if I do manage to do an extra mile I will treat myself for an extra layer of parmesan on top.
Helen says
Hahahaha! Well, I did say we do a walk stroke run – there is definitely more walking than running, but I guess it’s still good exercise. I give you permission to put extra parmesan on top, Mariana. 😉
Ashley says
People watching is one of my favorite things to do! It’s always so entertaining 🙂
And this looks awesome – I can just imagine eating a bunch of it with some crusty bread! Yum!
Helen says
It’s great with fresh Italian bread! 😉
Jessica @ Sweet Menu says
What a great dinner idea – looks so delicious!
Helen says
Thank you so much, Jessica!
Zainab says
making my favorite dish healthy is surely a way to my heart!! Love love these!!
Helen says
Thanks, Zainab! So happy to have touched your heart!!
[email protected] Olives & Garlic says
I’ve never tried zucchini parmegiana but I can only imagine how delicious this must be. Looking forward to making this.
Helen says
Thank you, Kathy! If you do make it, I really hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
OMG this recipe is completely insanity!!!! But of the best kind, of course! My mouth is watering. I have to try this like right now!!! Delicious
Helen says
I have to admit it was a tasty one, Olivia! Hope you do give it a try!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
This recipe sounds delicious! Great way to use up all those zucchini’s I have in the garden. Yum!
Helen says
Thanks, Natalie! 🙂
Annie @Maebells says
I love this! What a great way to use up zucchini, and so healthy too! I can’t wait to try this!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Annie. It’s enough to make me start growing my own, though, because zucchini are so expensive right now over here (winter and all that …)
Allison says
Richard Branson!? That is so cool! I’m almost positive you have the most fascinating life of anyone I know!!! You should have invited him over for this AMAZING looking meal. I always enjoy a baked italian dish like this with extra tomato sauce. One of my favourite things to eat, actually! Helen, you rock!
Helen says
Don’t worry, Allison, I don’t have a more interesting life than most, I just scrape the depths of my experiences to come up with something for my posts! It really is amazing what I can remember when I do that … things from absolutely years ago!
Now why didn’t I think of asking Richie around for dinner? I will have to remember that next time! 🙂
[email protected] says
Wow this is some unique recipe! Love the way you made it and that turkey and zucchini combo – to die for!!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Ami! 🙂
Sarah & Arkadi says
yum! this dish is both light and comforting!
Helen says
Thank you! Glad you think so! 🙂
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
I love anything parmigiana so I’m all over this!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Tina! 🙂
Irene @ How To WIn Cooking Contests says
Have been searching for some creative ways to use up the still abundant seemingly never-ending zucchini my Mom keeps giving me. Will be making this tonight. Wish me luck!
Helen says
Hello, Irene! Thanks so much for passing by and for giving this recipe a go. I would imagine that you’ve made it by now – how did it go?? 🙂