Who does not love the smell of fresh bell peppers, especially when the peppers are stuffed and oven baked! This is a recipe my Italian grandmother used to make for us on Sundays and it surely will meet or exceed, any vegetarian’s standards. Green peppers work best for this recipe if you like their stronger aroma, but milder red or yellow peppers can also be used. This makes a great summer dish that will have your whole kitchen smelling peppery and good!
Grandma’s Best Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Make sure you find the freshest peppers your supermarket can offer. Look for firm, peppers that do not have any brown or blackish marks. Touch the pepper to make sure there are no signs of it getting soft, an indication that the pepper is beginning to rot. Peppers picked at the peak of the season make this recipe much tastier.
Ingredients:
4 Bell peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon capers
2 leaves fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 mozzarella slices
4 tomato slices
Pinch of salt
Dash of pepper
Directions:
Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove all seeds and white linings. Use a knife to do this and be careful not to cut yourself! Once all four peppers are emptied and cleaned prepare the filling. Chop the garlic in small pieces and place in a bowl. Tear the basil into strips with your hands and add the aromatic strips to the bowl. Finally, add the capers, salt, pepper and the breadcrumbs. Mix well with hands and allow juices form garlic, basil and capers to combine and mingle well with the breadcrumbs. Add olive oil until mixture is dense and ready to fill peppers. Fill peppers up to the rim, and place a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella right on top. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until peppers look cooked and tender. Let them cool a bit before serving as the filling may be piping hot. Buon Appetito!