Greek Feta-Stuffed Peppers

In spite of a slow start, we seem to be getting a reasonable crop of peppers and the tomatoes are coming along as well.

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest and once I started looking it showed up quite a bit in several different versions. Many of the recipes call for a little bacon or ham. I didn't put any in, but as we were eating it I did think that slight smokiness they provide would be a good addition. If you wanted to keep it vegetarian, a little smoked paprika would give a similar effect.

This was invariably described as an appetizer but I served it with a quinoa pilaf as our meal. Four servings if that's how you have it, but it would stretch to at least 8 servings as an appetizer. I only had enough peppers to use half the filling, so the next day the other half got stretched out with a few other ingredients (bread crumbs, cheddar) and used to stuff zucchini, which were then cooked in a very similar way. We enjoyed those very much too.

4 to 8 servings
1 hour 10 minutes - 40 minutes prep time

Prepare the Peppers & Tomatoes:
6 6" green frying peppers to 18 3" green frying peppers
450 grams (2 to 3 medium, 1 pound) firm beefsteak tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put a pot of water on to boil for the tomatoes.

Wash the peppers, and cut a fine wedge from the side of each one. Extract the seeds and core, but leave the stem-end on the pepper. Put them in an oiled roasting pan that will hold them all snugly but in a single layer, and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, until showing signs of softening and browning.

I added the strips cut from the peppers and roasted them too. 

Meanwhile, blanch the tomatoes for 1 minute in the boiling water, then rinse them under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel them, chop them, and arrange them in a strainer, putting them in in layers and sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt. Set aside to drain.

Prepare the Filling & Finish:
2/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
OR 1 teaspoon rubbed dry oregano
200 grams (scant 1/2 pound) feta cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup yogurt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
OR 3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

Wash, dry, and chop the parsley and oregano, and put them in a small mixing bowl. Crumble in the feta cheese. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

When the tomatoes are well drained, add them to the mixture.

When the peppers are softened and slightly blistered in spots, remove them from the oven but leave it on. Lift the pepper strips from the pan and chop them. (Carefully; all carefully - they're hot!) Add them to the filling.

Fill the peppers with the prepared filling. Return them to the oven and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese filling is soft and slightly browned. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.




Last year at this time I made Melon, Parsley & Sweet Onion Salad. 

Posted in: Ontario Food