Italian cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Peperoni Ripieni

Bell pepper halves stuffed with rice, tomato, capers and herbs, then baked soft in the oven.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 red bell peppers
• 200 g round-grain rice
• 300 g passata (strained tomatoes)
• 2 tbsp capers
• 100 g black olives
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 80 g Parmesan
• 1/2 bunch basil
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Halve the bell peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds and white membranes, and set the halves cut-side up in an oiled baking dish.
2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté in 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 5 min until soft but not browned.
3. Stir in the rice, toast for 2 min, pour in the passata and 200 ml water, and simmer uncovered for 10 min until the rice is half-cooked and the mixture binds creamily.
4. Rinse the capers, roughly chop the olives, and mix both with the grated Parmesan, the finely chopped herbs, salt and pepper into the rice.
5. Loosely fill the pepper halves with the mixture, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and bake in the preheated oven at 190°C top/bottom heat for 40–45 min until the peppers are soft and the surface bubbles.
6. Let rest in the dish for 10 min, spoon the pan juices over the top, and serve warm straight from the dish.