Peperoni Ripieni ( Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers With Eggplant)

Submitted by Pneuma

"A traditional delicious Italian stuffed pepper with eggplants with a nice presentation."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 8 stuffed peppers
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 3 large eggplants, peeled and diced
• salt
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup Pam cooking spray, as needed
• 1 egg
• 5 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 3 -4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 large bell peppers
• 1 1⁄2 cups mozzarella cheese, to be divided into 8 parts
• 3 -4 tablespoons water
• Pam cooking spray or olive oil, when drizzling the dish
• aluminum foil

directions

1. Salt out eggplants by adding salt and allow to stand 10 minutes until they sweat.
2. Wash eggplants again to ensure the bitterness is removed.
3. Heat enough olive oil in a fry pan and saute the eggplants until they become soft. Sauteing can be done in batches.
4. Remove eggplants to a food processor and pulse for a few seconds.
5. Add egg, basil, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste, and mix.
6. In the meantime, preheat oven to 200°C.
7. Cut off tops of green peppers and remove seeds.
8. Arrange bell peppers in a casserole dish with the open part showing.
9. Distribute the eggplant stuffing mix to the bell peppers.
10. Top each pepper with mozzarella cheese.
11. Spray Pam onto the dish and add the water.
12. Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil.
13. Bake 30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Reviews

[Chickee]

This was a lovely recipe, a little fiddly but worth it. I used dried basil, and although I did think it looked like a lot of basil I tasted it as I added it and found that it was an adequate amount. I grilled (broiled) my eggplant as it doesn't absorb as much oil this way. I did find after serving this that it wanted a little marinara sauce over the top. Could be a nice starter for a dinner party. Thanks!

 

[Um Safia]

Made & reviewed for ZWT 4 ~ Kumquat's Kookin' Kaboodles! I chose this recipe for Zingo as my family enjoys all kinds of stuffed vegetables & I was sure they'd enjoy these. This recipe is so easy to make & the aubergine turn out really delicious. They are also nice to look at - you could do this wuth baby aubergines too for a great appetizer or starter. Thanks Marie for a fab recipe :)