{"product_id":"courgette-zucchini-tondo-di-nizza","title":"Courgette\/Zucchini Tondo di Nizza","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy I grow it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI love courgettes because they're one of those vegetables that can become almost anything in the kitchen, and Tondo di Nizza is particularly lovely. Instead of the usual long green courgette, it produces beautiful little round, pale-green fruit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePick them young and they're tender, firm and delicious — and that round shape makes them especially brilliant for stuffing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eType:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Round courgette \/ zucchini\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Yes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFruit:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Round, pale green and lightly mottled\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Compact, semi-erect bush\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePosition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Full sun\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Best around tennis-ball size\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBest for:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Stuffing, roasting, grilling and everyday cooking\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKings describes it as a French heritage variety, with firm flesh and a nutty flavour when harvested around tennis-ball size. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/zucchini-tondo-di-nizza?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is an enormously versatile courgette, so I'm not going to pretend there's only one correct thing to do with it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvested young, you can slice and grill it, roast it, sauté it, grate it, add it to pasta and summer dishes or use it anywhere you'd normally use a courgette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut its party trick is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003estuffing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Pick the fruit around tennis-ball size, cut off the top, scoop out the centre and fill the little round shell with whatever combination of vegetables, grains, herbs, cheese or meat happens to appeal before baking.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf one particular recipe eventually proves worthy of becoming \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Tondo Recipe™\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, I'll add it here.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the garden\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTondo di Nizza grows as a relatively compact bush rather than producing long sprawling vines, which makes it a useful courgette for smaller potagers and raised beds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon't be tempted to leave the fruit until they're enormous. Pick them regularly at around tennis-ball size, when the skin is tender and the flesh is at its best. Regular harvesting also encourages the plant to keep producing. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/zucchini-tondo-di-nizza?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003eKings Seeds NZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlant in rich, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun once the danger of frost has passed. Keep watering consistent, particularly during flowering and fruiting, and feed regularly through the growing season.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCourgettes are hungry plants and appreciate plenty of organic matter. Check underneath those enormous leaves regularly — otherwise a perfectly sensible tennis-ball courgette will inevitably turn into a small cannon while your back is turned.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat you'll receive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne healthy, established plant grown here at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Garden Between\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Plants naturally vary in size and shape and may be supplied in reused nursery pots or growing bags — perfectly useful plastic doesn't need replacing simply because it doesn't match.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"A Garden Between","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67878421594335,"sku":null,"price":7.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0767\/8279\/7023\/files\/Screenshot2026-10-04at8.45.51AM_1379d4f6-2b41-4fb0-b018-6bd74c7cfdbb.png?v=1791056804","url":"https:\/\/agardenbetween.com\/products\/courgette-zucchini-tondo-di-nizza","provider":"A Garden Between","version":"1.0","type":"link"}