Stuffed Marrows and Beef Broth

Look at Her how proudly she sits in the bowl,  like a Queen watching over the Reign! You cannot go Maltesier than this!! I've been eating stuffed marrows for 40 years and I crave for them when they come into season. Us Maltese have a life with Marrows, we bake them, fry them, make broth with them, shopping is not complete without the old marrow! This recipe is my mum's who passionately cooked regularly for 9 children! I adjusted the quantities to feed a family of four!

6 Medium sized Green Marrows
500g beef mince
100g ham finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tbsp bread crumbs
Fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

 For the beef broth
500g stewing beef
1 small khol rabi finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
1 small zucchini finely chopped
1 tomato peeled and chopped
1 celery stick
1 tsp salt
100g pasta shells

Prepare the broth by adding all ingredients except pasta,  in a large stock pot, add 2 litres of water and bring to boil.  Cover and simmer while you prepare the marrows.

Wash marrows and trim the tops. Using a melon baller, scoop the inner flesh leaving just 5mm of skin. Chop roughly the inner flesh and set aside.  Heat oil in  a large frying pan, add onions and fry gently till translucent. Add the beef mince and  chopped ham and fry till golden stirring from time to time to avoid lumps.  Add the chopped marrow flesh,  cover and cook well till it nearly melts in the mixture.  Add the bread crumbs to absorb the liquids, and stir.  Lower heat, then add the lightly beaten eggs, parsely and grated parmesan cheese and stir well.  Turn off heat, grind the black pepper and give a final stir.

Using a teaspoon fill each marrow with the prepared stuffing, then place in the simmering broth.  Continue to simmer covered for 45 minutes.  

Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 10 minutes and drain.

Serve 1 stuffed marrow, two tablespoons cooked pasta and two ladles of broth per person.