Italian Stuffed Fryer Peppers

This is a traditional Italian recipe (from my grandma!) for stuffed fryer peppers and is considered a treat for special occasions.

 

Ingredients:

Sourdough bread, "day old", try this or this (about four cups dried bread crumbs, see comments)

About 2 to 3 tbsp. small vinegar hot peppers (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches), chopped, with 2 tbsp. juice, you can buy pre-made or try this or this

Handful of raisins (if you like more, use more)

1/2 cup black olives, finely chopped, with 2 tbsp. juice

1/4 cup pignolis

2 to 3 tbsp. parsley (I used a combination of dried and fresh)

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

10 to 15 fryer peppers (depending on size & "stuff" density), washed, with tops cut off and slit as needed

1/8 to 1/4 cup olive oil for drizzling

How To:

1. Make breadcrumbs: You can do this in advance. See comments below detailing this process.

2. Make filling: Mix "crumbs" with all other ingredients except fryer peppers. You'll add enough olive oil so the mixture is moist. Keep in mind you're also adding olive juice and pepper juice as well (drizzle over your bread crumb mixture and mix well), which add moisture. I added a little olive oil to start and then did everything else and then added a little more at the end.

3. Stuff peppers: Cut the tops off the peppers, wash, clean out the insides, and stuff (making a slit down the side as needed). Grandma said don't overstuff the peppers, although you can see that I did in the pictures! Use your fingers - it's messy but a lot more effective. As you finish stuffing, lay peppers in a lightly greased (with oil or butter) baking dish. After you have arranged all of the peppers, drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top.

4. Cook: Bake 350 degrees, lightly covered for the first 20 minutes or so, until the peppers are tender, shriveled, and insides are popping out. Total cooking time will range from 30 to 40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes.

 

Comments:

At the Farmer's Market this weekend there was a basketful of fryer peppers. Now, when I see these peppers, they make me think of the stuffed peppers my grandma would make me when I would visit her. So, I couldn't resist and bought a bunch with grand plans about how I would make these delicious stuffed peppers for my family. I called my grandma and she said, "oh no, you can't make those. They are way too much work for anything other than a special occasion". Well, she told me how to make them anyway and they are a bit of work, but definitely worth it. Not counting the bread crumb making process, this took 30 minutes of chopping and mixing to make the filling and then another 10 to 15 minutes to clean the peppers and stuff them.

But, I forgot to mention, they are incredibly delicious! My husband and the little one loved them. My grandma's are better, but these were really close. :)

*** They are a little spicy so if you prefer very low heat, reduce the amount of vinegar peppers; however, keep in mind that the fryer peppers themselves are a little bit hot. If you don't like spicy foods at all, you should probably pass on this recipe.

Bread Crumbs: Grandma referred to the bread in the recipe as "panella" an Italian loaf that has a lot of "malecce" (not sure about that spelling, but pronounced "muh-leek") or "soft insides" to use to make bread crumbs. Traditionally, she would use a Panella loaf of bread and take out the "malecce" and crumble, crumble, crumble (which is why this recipe is so labor intensive). Nowadays, we have food processors and magic bullets and cuisine arts, and this process is much easier... So, you'll take your panella (or sourdough bread, which is what I used), pull out the insides, and "crumble" in your food processor to make bread crumbs.

 

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This recipe was featured on Real Food Wednesday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday, Scratch Cookin' Tuesday, Foodie Friday, The Better Mom Mondays, Foodie Friends Friday, Foodie Friday at Simple Living and Eating, and Countdown to 2013: Top Hits of 2012.