Les Petits Farcis Niçois, also known as Petis Farcis à la Provençale (Stuffed Provençal Vegetables) are a classic dish of French Riviera Cuisine. Tender garden vegetables, filled with a sausage and herb mixture and baked in the oven until all the flavors fuse together to create an incredibly comforting and filling dish that tastes of summer - any time of the year!
Every time we return to France, Mamie, Le Chef’s Grandmother, asks me what I would like to have for lunch when we arrive. “Les Petits Farcis Niçois!” I say without hesitation. Over the phone I can almost hear her wringing her 90 year old hands, marked with arthritis from a long life of raising 4 children, working hard and cooking for others as she says “Des farcis? Oh la la! C’est du travail ça, ma belle…” Translation: Do you have any idea how much work goes in to this dish?? Obviously not, but I will still make it for you, because it makes you so happy.
Well Mamie, I finally took the time to make les Petits Farcis Niçois and yes, they do take some work but they are also oh so so good.
Here is the perfect dish to cook on a rainy afternoon. Open a bottle of Rosé, put on some music by Brigitte Bardot or Yves Montand, tie up your apron and settle in.
Les Petits Farcis Niçois
Yield: 6 servings
Preparation time: about 45 minutes.
Cooking time: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Equipment needed:
- 2 rectangular baking dishes
- 2 mixing bowls
- Sharp knife ( I use this Wusthof knife for almost everything in the kitchen)
Ingredient List:
- Olive oil
- ½ tsp of dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh chopped finely)
- ½ tsp of dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh chopped finely)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 large tomatoes
- 3 bell peppers (green, red or yellow - your preference!)
- 4 zucchinis
- 2 large white onions
- ½ pound of ground pork sausage
- ½ pound of ground beef
- ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1 bouquet of parsley
- ½ cup of bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground pepper
All of the dry goods are part of our French Riviera Pantry - click here for the printable checklist
Le Chef's Tips for making his favorite dish:
1. Take the time to sear the vegetables before baking them.
Not only will they hold up better while baking, the blistered vegetables add a depth of flavor to the dish.
2. Use the vegetables you have:
In this recipe I use zucchinis, tomatoes, peppers and onions. Petits Farcis are also great with eggplant, potatoes and mushrooms. If you are using eggplants, slice them in half and to let the cook 30 minutes in the oven before scooping out the inside. Place in the pan with the zucchini - they take longer to cook!
**Note: You can also use potatoes and eggplants for this dish**
3. Don't waste any part of the vegetables!
Make sure to use the scooped out insides of the vegetables in your meat mixture. Chop them up finely and they will bring extra flavor and nutrients to the mixture. This can also be used as a great recipe for kid-friendly healthy meatballs!
4. Generously stuff your Petits Farcis
Make sure you heap the meat mixture into each vegetable. It makes for a beautiful presentation but also a hearty meal.
How many Petits Farcis per person?
Generally I serve 2-3 petits farcis per person. Unless I am feeding my husband. He eats 6. Easily.
Petits farcis are also great the next day.
Tastes just like the South of France.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Les Petits Farcis Niçois, also known as Petis Farcis à la Provençale (Stuffed Provençal Vegetables) are a classic dish of French Riviera Cuisine. Tender garden vegetables, filled with a sausage and herb mixture and baked in the oven until all the flavors fuse together to create an incredibly comforting and filling dish that tastes of summer - any time of the year!
Actually no. The cooking techniques for making this dish are rather simple - there are no complicated sauces or reductions. The recipe does however contain several steps that are important to follow. Definitely not a "dinner in under 30 minutes dish" but it is a fun and delicious dish that immediately transports you to the South of France with each bite. Worth it. 100%.
Absolutely. I made them the other night without the breadcrumbs and they held up perfectly. Feel free to add ½ cup of cooked rice to the meat mixture if you prefer or simply omit the breadcrumbs all together.
Traditionally, les Petits Farcis Niçois are made with summer garden vegetables. Tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions and also eggplants. I have also seen this dish made with mushrooms and potatoes. Feel free to use as many or as few vegetables as you like. My favorites are the tomatoes and bell peppers. So yummy!
Les Petits Farcis Niçois (or Petits Farcis à la Provençale)
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 65
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 6
Description
Step by step instructions to make my favorite French Riviera dish - Les Petits Farcis Niçois, just like my French Mamie. This comforting dish is rich and hearty with fresh summer vegetables stuffed with fragrant sausage - a delicious showstopper! Perfect to serve for a French dinner party.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- ½ tsp of dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh chopped finely)
- ½ tsp of dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh chopped finely)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 large tomatoes
- 3 bell peppers (green, red or yellow - your preference!)
- 4 zucchinis
- 2 large white onions
- ½ pound of ground pork sausage
- ½ pound of ground beef
- ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1 bouquet of parsley
- ½ cup of bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
The Tomatoes:
Rinse the tomatoes with cold water. Dry them and cut off the top ¼ of the way down. With a spoon, scoop out the insides and put the insides to the side in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt inside.
On medium high heat, drizzle some olive oil in the pan and lightly sear the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes, turning sides once they begin to blister.
Place the tomatoes in a baking dish set aside with a sprinkle of olive oil
The Zucchinis:
Rinse and dry the zucchinis. Cut the top ¼ off of the zucchini length wise. Sear the zucchinis on both sides in the frying pan like with the tomatoes. Scoop out the insides with a spoon to create a little boat. Add the zucchini insides to the bowl set aside with the tomato insides. Place in a separate baking dish with a sprinkle of salt.
The Peppers
Rinse and dry the peppers. Cut the top ¼ off of the peppers length wise. Scoop out the insides with a spoon to create a little boat leaving the stem for visual effect. Add the tops of the peppers to the bowl set aside with the tomato tops and zucchini. Sear the peppers on both sides in the frying pan like with the tomatoes. Place in the baking dish with a sprinkle of salt next to the tomatoes
The Onions
Peel the onions and place them in a sauce pan of boiling water with the bay leaves for about 15 minutes until they become tender. Slice in two lengthwise from the top to the bottom. Take out the center part of the onion and place with the other vegetable pieces in the side bowl.
**Note: You can also use potatoes and eggplants for this dish**
Stuffing Les Petits Farcis Niçois:
In the second mixing bowl, add together the ground pork sausage and the ground beef.
Rinse and dry the parsley bouquet. Finely chop the leaves and the stems together and add to the meat mixture.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the set aside vegetable insides and add together with garlic to the meat mixture.
Add salt, pepper and nutmeg along with half of the bread crumbs to the meat mixture and mix well together. Here I like to roll up my sleeves and dig in there with my hands!
Take a soup spoon and generously fill each seared vegetable with the meat mixture. The mixture should be heaped over each vegetable. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs on the top of the stuffed vegetables.
Baking Les Petits Farcis Niçois
Place the baking dish with the onions and the zucchinis in the oven first (they take longer to cook). Bake for 20 minutes then add the second baking dish with the tomatoes and peppers. Bake both dishes together uncovered for 45 minutes.
The vegetables should be soft yet hold their shape. Let cool slightly and then serve with a side salad for a delicious summer meal accompanied by a chilled glass of Rosé, of course. If serving for dinner I recommend serving with rice. Gently toss the cooked rice with the Petit Farcis pan drippings after baking the stuffed vegetables for a rich flavored rice that will have your dinner guests asking for more!
Notes
Le Chef’s Wife Tip: use downtime while the Petits Farcis are in the oven to clean the kitchen and start the dishwasher! Nothing like having a clean kitchen when you pull your dinner out of the oven.)
If serving for lunch: pair with a side salad for a delicious summer meal accompanied by a chilled glass of Rosé,
If serving for dinner I recommend serving with rice. Gently toss the cooked rice with the Petit Farcis pan drippings after baking the stuffed vegetables for a rich flavored rice that will have your dinner guests asking for more!
Other French Riviera Recipes you will enjoy:
- La Salade Niçoise
- La Soupe au Pistou
- Le Grand Aïoli
- Branzino with Vierge Sauce
- Olive Tapenade
- Baguettes for Beginners
- Eggplant Lasagna
Au plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
Le Chef's Wife Les Petits Farcis Niçois Recipe is adapted and translated from French from Guy Gedda and Robert Monetti’s “L’Authentique Cuisine de Provence”, Tian de légumes à la Provençale along with the advice and guidance of Le Chef, Sébastien Giannini and "Mamie", Pierrette Giannini. Originally published by Le Chefs Wife on July 14th 2020.
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