Zucchini-Wrapped Meatballs With Salsa - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 medium egg
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked, plus extra sprigs to garnish
2 tbsp tomato puree
9 oz low fat mozzarella, sliced into 24 pieces
2 large zucchini (1 sliced into 24 long strips with vegetable peeler; 1 chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 None onion, peeled and chopped
4 None yellow peppers, deseeded and chopped
1 1/4 cup vegetable stock

Preparation

Place the beef in a large bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, thyme leaves and tomato puree. Mix well and season to taste. Shape into 24 small balls.
Place a piece of the mozzarella and a meatball at the base of each zucchini strip, then roll up to enclose the filling. Thread the wrapped meatballs on to 8 skewers (3 on each).
Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Heat a large griddle pan and brush with oil. Cook the skewers for 3-4 mins each side (you may need to do this in batches - brush the pan with more oil if necessary). Transfer the skewers to an oiled baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 12 mins.
For the warm pepper salsa, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a saucepan, fry the onion for 1 min, add the yellow pepper and cook for 1 min, then add the chopped zucchini and fry for another min. Pour in the stock and simmer for about 8 mins. Use a stick blender to puree slightly. Season to taste.
Arrange the skewers on a serving platter, garnish with the extra thyme and serve with the warm pepper salsa.