Stuffed Capsicums

Sometimes nostalgia sets in and you get the urge to make something from your childhood.  Meatballs are up there with nostalgia for me.  Nonna’s meatballs were always the best – even though my recipe is pretty much the same as hers, they are never quite as good. I loved them, especially with a big plate of pasta. But Nonna used that meatball mix for other meals too. Like these stuffed capsicums.

Being a fussy eater, I can honestly tell you I didn’t eat one back then (maybe I scooped out the insides, but never a whole one). I would have turned my nose up at the site of the whole capsicum (how silly was I?). But I can still remember them, sitting in a baking tray ready to share.

So my nostalgia comes primarily from the smell. The roasted capsicums have a sweet, earthy, distinct smell, and the meat mixture laced with basil, garlic and parmesan gives its own heady aroma. This is something I haven’t made in ages, thinking my own fussy children would turn their noses up at the sight of a vegetable too. But I made this last night, and my son loves them. Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he? Why haven’t I made these for so long???

Italians love stuffing and roasting all kinds of vegetables. This is my favourite version. Sweet roasted capsicums stuffed with my Best Ever Meatballs mixture.

Baking the meatball mixture inside the capsicum cavities ensures moist, delicious meat, and as the capsicums roast away, they impart their rich sweetness to add further flavour. They really are very moreish! Even if you have fussy eaters!

Best of all, they can be prepared ahead and baked as you need them so they’re great for when you’re entertaining or have a crowd to feed.

Serve them up on a big platter as part of a big Italian feast, or let them stand alone with a simple salad. Delicious.

Stuffed Capsicums

Sweet roasted capsicums with a tasty meatball filling.

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Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Best Ever Meatballs Mixture

• 250 g pork mince
• 250 g veal mince
• 1 ½ cups dried breadcrumbs
• 1 medium handful fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 small handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup  basic tomato sauce (home-made or store bought - pasta sauce, not ketchup!)
• ½ cup water
• 2 eggs

Stuffed Capsicums

• 4 red capsicums
• olive oil
• 1 cup basic tomato sauce (home-made or store bought - pasta sauce, not ketchup!)
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

 

1. Place all the Best Ever Meatballs ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.
2. Preheat oven to 180 C.
3. Cut capsicums in half and remove membranes and seeds. Trim the stalk from the tops.
4. Fill each capsicum half with meatball mixture.
5. Splash enough olive oil into a frying pan to reach 1cm up the sides and heat on medium. Cook the stuffed capsicums, cut side down, for 2 minutes, then use tongs to turn the capsicums around in the oil as they cook so the skin is slightly blistered all over.
6. Put the capsicums, cut side up, into a baking dish and spoon the tomato sauce over and around them. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Recipe from my book – Easy Home Cooking Italian Style, New Holland Publishers, Photo – Jonathan VDK