The peppers are roasted quickly, being careful not to let them cook completely, but just enough to be easily peeled while keeping their juicy flesh. After taking them out of the oven or off the grill, we place them in a plastic bag or a covered container, sprinkling a little salt over them. This method will allow the peppers to sweat for about 15 minutes, making them much easier to clean. In the meantime, we prepare a pot of water to boil the rice and take care of the delicious filling.
We start by sautéing a small amount of onion, just 1/4 of a medium onion, in a pan with a little oil. After 2-3 minutes, we add a fresh tomato, diced, and let the mixture fry on low heat to combine the flavors. When the water in the pot starts to boil, we add salt and put in the rice. It is essential to drain it a few minutes before the time indicated on the package, ensuring it remains very 'al dente'. Once drained, we add it over the sautéed onion and tomato mixture, also adding finely chopped fresh herbs, as well as cheese, preferably telemea or feta, diced. Even if we forgot to buy parmesan, the cheese will provide a rich and creamy taste.
Now, we focus on the peppers. Carefully, we clean them of the stems and burnt residues, then cut the cap off each pepper, being careful not to crush them. It is important to keep the water contained inside the peppers, as it is full of flavor. Using a fine sieve, we strain the vegetable water into the rice mixture, ensuring that the seeds are left behind. We fill each pepper with the rice and cheese mixture, then place them in a pot with an inch of water at the bottom, adding some diced tomatoes and celery leaves for extra flavor.
The peppers can be cooked either on the stove, using a tall pot with a lid, or in the oven. I opted for a combination, leaving them on the heat for 15 minutes and then transferring them to the preheated oven for another 10 minutes, so they can brown slightly on top. This dish is truly delicious and brings a special touch compared to raw stuffed peppers. If time is an issue, you can bake the peppers a day in advance and keep them in the fridge, saving precious time on the day of serving. The rest of the process becomes a simple play, and the final result will be a dish that everyone will love!
We start by sautéing a small amount of onion, just 1/4 of a medium onion, in a pan with a little oil. After 2-3 minutes, we add a fresh tomato, diced, and let the mixture fry on low heat to combine the flavors. When the water in the pot starts to boil, we add salt and put in the rice. It is essential to drain it a few minutes before the time indicated on the package, ensuring it remains very 'al dente'. Once drained, we add it over the sautéed onion and tomato mixture, also adding finely chopped fresh herbs, as well as cheese, preferably telemea or feta, diced. Even if we forgot to buy parmesan, the cheese will provide a rich and creamy taste.
Now, we focus on the peppers. Carefully, we clean them of the stems and burnt residues, then cut the cap off each pepper, being careful not to crush them. It is important to keep the water contained inside the peppers, as it is full of flavor. Using a fine sieve, we strain the vegetable water into the rice mixture, ensuring that the seeds are left behind. We fill each pepper with the rice and cheese mixture, then place them in a pot with an inch of water at the bottom, adding some diced tomatoes and celery leaves for extra flavor.
The peppers can be cooked either on the stove, using a tall pot with a lid, or in the oven. I opted for a combination, leaving them on the heat for 15 minutes and then transferring them to the preheated oven for another 10 minutes, so they can brown slightly on top. This dish is truly delicious and brings a special touch compared to raw stuffed peppers. If time is an issue, you can bake the peppers a day in advance and keep them in the fridge, saving precious time on the day of serving. The rest of the process becomes a simple play, and the final result will be a dish that everyone will love!
Ingredients
for 2 people: 4-5 large, thick and meaty peppers 200g rice (I used basmati) 1 onion 1 large tomato parsley leaves, basil, celery smoked cheese (scamorza) parmesan oil, salt, pepper