There is something so comforting about a dish like this. Not only does the Sicilian-inspired filling of rice, ground beef, sweet raisins and sliced black olives work well in sweet bell peppers, but also in large baked tomatoes or even winter squash. The peppers are baked and served in a flavorful crushed tomato sauce and are topped with creamy, melted mozzarella cheese.
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Sicilian-Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
- 4 bell peppers, tops cut off, ribs and seeds removed, base of the peppers sliced so that they stand upright
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- (1) 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- splash of red wine
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the prepped bell peppers on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with olive oil. Drizzle each with some olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until slightly tender.
- To prepare the sauce, stir the crushed tomatoes together with the wine, the dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of pepper.
- To prepare the filling, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add in the ground beef and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Saute for 10-12 minutes or until the meat is completely browned. Toss the browned meat together with the cooked rice, half of the tomato sauce, the scallions, olives and raisins.
- Stuff each pepper with some of the filling until completely filled. Top with shredded cheese. Place the remaining tomato sauce in a deep roasting pan. Bake the peppers in the sauce in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is warmed through and the cheese melted.
Tagged: bell peppers, black olives, crushed tomatoes, green onions, ground beef, Italian, Italy, oregano, peppers, raisins, rice, scallions, shredded mozzarella cheese, Sicilian-stuffed peppers, Sicily, stuffed bell peppers
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