Stuffed Italian Peppers with Meatballs

I love this recipe. It’s a great way to use up those wonderful garden bell peppers you’ve worked so hard to bring to harvest. Two of my classic recipes are used to make the marinara sauce and the giant meatballs. It’s a winning combination your whole family will enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Marinara Sauce~ 1 28-oz. can Dei Fratelli tomato puree 1/4 cup XV olive oil 4 large cloves garlic, minced 1/3 shallot, minced 1/2 cup red wine 1/2 tsp. sugar, to taste 1 tsp. dry basil Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste Cayenne pepper flakes, to taste

For the Meatballs~ (makes a double batch) 1 pound lean ground beef 1 pound ground pork or Italian sausage 1/4 cup loose fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 2/3 shallot, minced 1/2 tsp. dry oregano 1 tsp. dry basil 1/4 cup bread crumbs 1 egg, beaten 2 tbs. warm butter 1/4 cup milk 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp. beef base Salt, to taste if needed 1 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper, to taste Cayenne pepper flakes, to taste

You Will Also Need~ 4 large, fresh garden bell peppers, red or green 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided 1/2 cup grated hard Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the marinara sauce by heating the olive oil in a heavy sauce pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and stir constantly for three minutes until the garlic just starts to turn a straw color. Increase the heat and add the red wine. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce by half to burn off the alcohol. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the dry spices and tomato puree. Stir occasionally, partially covered for two hours. You cannot rush a good marinara sauce! Heat your oven to 350°. Prepare the meatballs by combining the ground beef and pork in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and work the meat with your hands until evenly mixed. DO NOT overwork the mixture or the meatballs won’t be tender. Roll the mixture evenly into a log and divide in half. Freeze one portion. With the remaining mixture, divide into four equal pieces and roll each into a ball, about 2-1/2″ in diameter. Add 3 tbs. olive oil or butter to a large, heavy skillet. Heat over medium and carefully add the meatballs. Turn each until they form an even crust, about twenty minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Note: Don’t worry if the meatballs are slightly underdone – they will continue to cook in the next step.

Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and core out the insides. Cut an even portion off the bottom of each pepper so they sit straight. Arrange in a cast-iron dutch oven and add the extra pieces around the sides.

Spoon in 1/2 of the marinara sauce in and around the base of the peppers. Add 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese to the bottom of the peppers. Carefully place one meatball in each pepper, then top with more sauce, the remaining Mozzarella and the grated Parmesan. Spoon any remaining sauce around the peppers. Place the pot in your oven and bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. The internal temperature of the meatballs should read 150° when finished. Serves 4