Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Squash with Tomato Sauce)

Sauce: To make the sauce, combine the tomatoes, onions, 2 ? cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper in a heavy casserole large enough to hold the squash in 1 or 2 layers. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside. Squash: Meanwhile, scrub the zucchini under cold running water. Pat them dry with paper towels and, with a small, sharp knife, cut about 1 inch off the stem ends. Carefully tunnel out the center of each squash leaving an ? inch thick shell all around. The best utensil for this is the Syrian Munara, or squash corer, but you can use an apple corer almost as effectively. As the squash are cored, drop them into a large bowl containing 2 quarts of water, 2 teaspoons of salt and the mint. Let the squash soak for 5 or 10 minutes. Stuffing: To make the stuffing, combine the lamb, rice, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, allspice and a few grindings of pepper. Knead vigorously with both hands, then beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Spoon the stuffing into the squash, tapping the bottom end lightly on the table to shake the stuffing down, then filling the squash to their tops. Place the squash in the tomato sauce, laying them flat. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the squash show only the slightest resistance when pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife. Do not overcook. To serve, carefully transfer the squash to a heated platter or individual serving dishes and spoon the sauce over them. Source: Time Life Series: Middle Eastern Cooking "crica 69" MMed by: earl.cravens@salata.com Posted to recipelu-digest by GramWag on Mar 18, 1998