Petits Farcis

Cut the top one-third off the onions, squashes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, and set aside to use as caps. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. With a melon baller or an espresso spoon, scoop out the inside of each vegetable the best you can. Leave the walls about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Set the vegetables aside.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). To make the stuffing, in a small frying pan, sweat the onion in the oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until translucent. Remove from the heat.

In a bowl, combine the veal, pork, cooked onion, egg, bread, Parmesan, thyme, fennel seeds, garlic, chile flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix together using your hands; it should have the texture of a raw meatball.

Divide the meat mixture among the vegetables, stuffing it carefully and deeply inside each one. Stand the vegetables, without their caps, in an oiled gratin dish or cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked but not colored. Remove from the oven, top each vegetable with its cap, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the tops are getting crispy and the meat is sizzling.

Remove from the oven and drizzle olive oil on top. Serve lukewarm.