Sausage-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F.

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2. Brush the pepper halves with oil and put them cut side up in a baking dish. Bake 10 minutes.

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3. Meanwhile brown the sausage in the oil over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, breaking it up.

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4. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes, then the garlic, oregano and fennel for 1 minute.

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5. Stir in the rice, tomatoes and salt and cook 2 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in half the mozzarella.

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6. Fill the peppers, mounding the filling, and cover the dish with foil.

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7. Bake 15 minutes, uncover, and scatter over the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan.

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8. Bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots.

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9. Rest 5 minutes and scatter with parsley.

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Chef’s Tips

• Pre-bake the empty peppers so they finish tender, not crunchy.
• Drain the tinned tomatoes or the filling turns wet and the peppers slump.
• Cut a thin slice off any pepper that rocks so it sits flat.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• A green salad
• Garlic bread
• A light red such as Sangiovese

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat covered at 180°C for 15 minutes. Freeze, baked, for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.