Zucchini with couscous and ricotta cheese and cashew nuts sauce

Here is a recipe to serve at the next lunch or dinner you will host: zucchini with couscous, ricotta, and cashew cream. All of your guests will enjoy this wonderful recipe, so we recommend you give it a try!

Ingredients for couscous

• 100 ml of water
• 3 g fine salt
• 100 gr of couscous
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the zucchini cream

• 2 long zucchinis
• 5 black olives
• 100 gr ricotta

Other ingredients

• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Poppy seeds to decorate
• 30 gr of cashews
• Extra virgin olive oil for seasoning

Preparation

Start by rehydrating the couscous: in a short and large pan, bring 100 ml of water with 3 grams of salt to boil. Remove from the heat and add 100 gr of couscous. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. Season with a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil and mix with a fork.

Clean the zucchinis and cut each zucchini into 4 parts. Empty them with a spoon or a small knife. Set aside the pulp. Boil the zucchinis in salted water and drain them very well.

Fry a clove of garlic in a pan with oil; add the zucchini pulp and cook for a few minutes on high heat. Blend everything with olives and ricotta. Coarsely chop the cashews.

Fill the zucchinis with couscous and season them with oil. Season with the cashew nuts and the courgette cream. Serve at room temperature or sauté the zucchinis in the oven for a few minutes.

Enjoy your amazing couscous filled zucchinis!

Properties of zucchinis

There are numerous varieties of zucchinis. The period of ripening, and therefore of natural harvesting for these vegetables, coincides with spring and summer, but now, thanks to the spread of greenhouses, you can find this product on the market all year round. However, it is always advisable to consume them in the period of natural ripening as they are richer in nutrients and cost less. 

Zucchinis have a very low calories content, which makes them particularly suitable for low-calorie diets. They are low in salt, refreshing, and easily digestible. Their characteristics make them particularly suitable even in early childhood; zucchinis are among the very first foods to be introduced during the weaning of newborns. Among their nutrients, we can mostly find potassium; folic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Zucchinis are diuretic and help to counteract urinary tract issues; they are valid allies of those suffering from intestinal inflammation, and they are very useful in case of constipation. Zucchinis are also recognized as having relaxing and calming properties.

Properties of cashew nuts

Cashews help prevent osteoporosis, vascular fragility, joint problems, and high cholesterol. They contain a flavonoid that is absorbed by the retinal macula, protecting the eyes from external aggressive agents and helping in the prevention of macular degeneration in old age. According to recent scientific research, cashews help fight diabetes. They also contain less fat than other types of dried fruit. In addition, most of their fat is made up of unsaturated fatty acids. Cashews contain oleic acid, a substance considered healthy for heart and vessels. They are also very rich in copper.

Cashews become rancid very quickly, so they should not be left exposed to air for a long time. Cashews grow on large trees, and they are always sold without shell because this contains a caustic resin that must be carefully removed before you can consume this type of dried fruit. This resin, which must not be eaten together with the fruit, is used to produce insecticides and paints.

Properties of ricotta

Of all the dairy products, ricotta is characterized by the lowest fat content. The composition depends largely on the nature of the starting serum, whether it’s from a cow, a sheep, or a goat. Sheep ricotta has a higher fat content, which can range from 12 to 25 grams per 100 grams of product, while cow’s ricotta has around 8 grams of fat: over two-thirds of which are saturated fats such as palmitic, myristic, stearic and butyric fats. The cholesterol content is quite low, as it is about 51 mg. The sugars oscillate between 3 and 4 grams, with a high presence of lactose, which makes it not suitable for lactose-intolerant people. The intake of minerals is good, especially in regard to calcium, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc, as well as for vitamins, especially vitamin A, B2, and B12.