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Petits Farcis Niçois

Petits Farcis Niçois

A classic Niçoise dish featuring summer vegetables stuffed with a flavorful herb and meat filling, slow-roasted to tender, caramelized perfection, embodying the essence of Provence.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 oven
  • 1 baking dish
  • 1 small spoon to hollow vegetables
  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • 2 round zucchini courgettes rondes
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 2 large onions
  • Fleur de sel to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 300 g 10.5 oz ground veal or pork
  • 150 g 5.3 oz day-old bread soaked in milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • Generous handful fresh basil chopped
  • 50 g 1.75 oz Parmesan, grated
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Slice the tops off the tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers, reserving the lids. Halve the onions crosswise and hollow out all vegetables, leaving a 1 cm wall. Reserve the pulp.
  • Chop the reserved vegetable pulp finely and sauté in olive oil over medium heat for 8 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool slightly.
  • Squeeze excess milk from the soaked bread and tear into a large bowl. Add the ground meat, sautéed vegetables, eggs, garlic, parsley, basil, thyme, and Parmesan. Mix by hand until well combined but not dense. Adjust seasoning.
  • Drizzle a shallow baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the hollowed vegetables upright, packed snugly so they support each other. Fill each vegetable with the stuffing, mounding slightly above the rim. Replace the lids at an angle.
  • Drizzle the tops with olive oil and season with fleur de sel. Roast for 45–55 minutes until vegetables are tender, golden, and the cheese is browned. Juices should bubble at the bottom.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil. Serve with crusty sourdough and tomato dipping sauce if desired.

Notes

  • Use leftover braised beef (daube) in the stuffing for a rich variation.
  • Flavors improve the next day when reheated gently.
  • Slow roasting enhances caramelization and depth of flavor.
  • Pairs excellently with a Rosé de Provence wine.