Just because December and the Christmas season are fast approaching, November seems to have a rather hushed and suppressed characteristic to it. I need it to be more fulfilling and exciting than it is now.
Ingredients:
- Tricolour bell peppers: 3, washed
- Olive oil: 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
- Tomatoes: 2, diced finely
- Picnic ham: 4 slices, diced
- Mozzarella ball: 1, mashed with hands
- Shredded mozzarella: 200g
- Oregano leaves: 1 handful, chopped finely
- Parsley: 1 stalk, chopped finely
- Salt: 1/2 tsp
- Ground black pepper: to taste
Method:
- Half the peppers vertically (from top to bottom), leaving the stem intact.
- Spoon out white core and seeds. Leave to cook in boiling water for 10 – 15 min.
- Set aside to dry on paper towel.
- Preheat oven at 190 degrees Celsius. Grease baking tray with 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Mix tomatoes, ham, mozzarella ball, 2 tbsp of shredded mozzarella, oregano leaves, parsley, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper together.
- Spoon mixture into bell peppers. Set onto baking tray and bake 10 min.
- Spoon remaining mozzarella on top of bell peppers. Return to bake for another 5 – 8 min.
- Serve hot as appetizer or side dish.
Tricks:
- Baking the peppers without the mozzarella first would ensure that the ingredients get sufficiently cooked and the mozzarella doesn’t get burnt in the whole duration of the baking.
- For a more substantial meal, mix couscous into the ingredients before baking. Create a larger container by slicing away the top of the pepper (including stem) instead of vertically from top to bottom.
- Simply remove the ham from the list of ingredients for a vegetarian alternative.
- Roast the bell peppers instead of cooking them in boiling water to retain more of their nutrients and vitamin C.
Serving:
Makes 6 halves (for 6 persons as a side dish)
This looks delicious !
Just saw your comment keke. Thanks again! 🙂
Hehehehe,
By the way, can I shamelessly plug my own advertisement ? I’m selling some of my drawings on http://society6.com/sub_o?promo=d2e252. Free shipping worldwide till 9th Dec
Sure… will visit to admire your drawings one of these days. 🙂