Stuffed peppers

serves four

This is a rice stuffing with meat sauce and Cappellari breadcrumbs.

4 large bell peppers

Rice
1 cup (250 ml) long grain rice, basmati or jasmine
1¾ cups (450 ml) water, lightly salted

Rinse rice, bring 1¾ cups (450 ml) of lightly salted water to a boil, add rice then cook on
medium-low heat.

White Rice cooking ratio
Long grain white rice - 1¾ cups of water per cup of rice
Medium grain white rice - 1½ cups of water per cup of rice
Short grain white rice - 1½ cups of water per cup of rice

Brown Rice cooking ratio
The perfect ratio for brown rice is 2¼ cups of water per cup of rice

Meat Sauce
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
½ medium onion, finely diced
½ medium carrot, peeled, finely diced
½ celery stock, rinsed, peeled, finely diced
Splash of olive oil
½ cup (125 ml) red wine
1 cup (250 ml) passata di pomodoro (strained tomatoes)
Salt, pepper

In a saucepan heat olive oil on medium heat, sauté onions, carrots and celery (mirepoix).
Add ground beef and cook 5-8 minutes while stirring.
Add red wine, mix, simmer 1 minute.  Add passata.
Simmer 20-30 minutes on medium-low heat, season with salt and pepper.

1 cup (250 ml) Cappellari breadcrumbs, toasted

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C), toast Cappellari breadcrumbs 2-5 minutes on an oven tray
lined with parchment paper.

Combine rice and meat sauce in a bowl.  Bind with Cappellari breadcrumbs.

Cut tops and bottoms of the peppers so they stand.  Remove the seeds and membrane, fill with
stuffing and bake in a preheated 400° F (200° C) oven 10-15 minutes or until peppers are cooked.
Or
Grill the peppers first for a nicer presentation, then fill with stuffing.

Plate and serve