Ricotta Stuffed Peppers Recipes

RICOTTA-STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut bell peppers in half and remove seeds.
• In a large skillet, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add bell peppers, reduce heat to low and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan, drain and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, olives, walnuts, parsley, basil, lemon zest and black pepper. Mix well with a fork.
• Mound into pepper halves.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Place in an ovenproof baking dish and add water to 1/4 inch depth in dish to prevent burning.
• Bake until heated through, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place under broiler briefly to brown.

HERBY RICOTTA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Char Peppers (optional): For a smokier flavor, quickly char peppers on the grill of open-flame stovetop (if you have access to these; if not, just skip this step). Cool then peel off blackened skin.
• Prep Peppers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and ribs. Brush peppers all over with olive oil.
• Stuff Peppers: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, basil, onions, herbs, salt, and pepper. Beat in the eggs and parmesan. Fill peppers with the mixture and top wth fennel flowers and breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until ricotta is set and breadcrumbs are golden.

SWISS CHARD AND RICOTTA STUFFED ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut out the stems from peppers and discard. Remove the seeds and clean out the white ribs. Season them inside with salt and pepper. Rub the outsides of the peppers with vegetable oil and place them, stem side down, onto a baking sheet. Bake them for 30 minutes, or until the skins are wrinkled and slightly charred. Remove the peppers from the oven and put them into a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let them steam until they are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Peel the skin from the peppers, making sure to keep them whole, and set aside.
• While the peppers are baking and steaming, make the pesto: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready. When the water is boiling, add the basil leaves. After 5 seconds (yes, 5 seconds) remove the basil and immediately put it into the ice water. (This will keep the pesto green.) When it is cold, drain the basil and squeeze out any excess water. Put the basil into a food processor or blender and add the pine nuts, cheese, and garlic. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cook the eggplant until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes more. Transfer them to a cutting board, let them cool a bit, and chop them finely with a knife. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan over medium-high heat. When it is melted, add the Swiss chard, cover the pan, and let the chard wilt for about 1 minute. Transfer the chard to a bowl. Add the vegetables, ricotta, 1 tablespoon of the pesto, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Stuff this mixture into the peppers, being careful to keep them whole. Place them on their sides into a lightly buttered baking dish. Sprinkle each pepper evenly with bread crumbs and bake until the tops are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with extra pesto.

STUFFED BABY PEPPERS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels. Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine the onion, pancetta, cheeses, and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Using a paring knife, cut 1/2-inch from the stem-end of the peppers. Remove the seeds and veins. Using a small dessert spoon, fill each pepper with the ricotta mixture. Place the filled peppers on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the peppers begin to soften. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
• Arrange the peppers on a platter and serve.

RICOTTA RED PEPPER STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Make a pocket in the chicken breasts the lightly salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms, onion, and red pepper in olive oil for 5 minutes. Mix this into a bowl with ricotta cheese and garlic powder. Mix well. Spoon mixture into chicken breasts. Try to have some remaining stuffing to place on top 5 minutes before chicken is done. I usually set it to high broil for the last 5 minutes to get a nice brown color.