Baked Stuffed Zucchini (from Biba's Northern Italian Cooking)

8-10 medium zucchini
3 TBSP chopped parsley
1/4 pound mortadella or ham, chopped (leave out for vegetarian, sub with tempeh or lentils!)
2 TBSP unflavored bread crumbs
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

White Sauce:
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour of choice
1 cup hot milk
1/2 tsp grate nutmeg
3 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 13" x 9" baking dish. Wash zucchini. Fill a medium saucepan two thirds full with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Add zucchini, and cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes, depending on the size. Zucchini should be barely tender. Drain, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. 

Prepare White Sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan. When butter foams, whisk in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, do not let flour brown. Whisk in hot milk quickly to prevent lumps. Cook sauce 2-3 minutes longer, whisking constantly. Add nutmeg, Parmesan cheese and salt and blend well. Sauce should be a medium thick consistency.

Trim ends off zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving a hollow shell. MIx the pulp, parsley, mortadella or ham, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add White Sauce and mix well.Taste and adjust for seasoning. 

Fill zucchini shells with pulp mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place stuffed zucchini in a buttered baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until zucchini have a light golden crust. Serve hot.