I knew I hit a good note when my son Joseph tasted these peppers and said they were the most flavorful stuffed peppers he ever ate. That was good enough for me. When I make stuffed peppers I always like using the red peppers. They are so much sweeter and just bring an extra level of flavor to the filling inside.

These stuffed peppers are great as a main course or part of your antipasti table. We would usually serve these as a side dish with other meat dishes. There is always room for a stuffed pepper on your plate.

During Christmas and Thanksgiving these stuffed peppers usually found an empty spot on your plate as grandma went around the table serving and saying “mangia, mangia!” Grandma never liked seeing an empty plate. And if yours wasn’t full or you didn’t go for seconds she thought there was something wrong with you. “Watsa matta, you no eat? Mangia!”

One time I had a friend over for dinner and he made the mistake of finishing before everyone else. You just don’t do that with grandma at the table! She will just keep filling up your plate until you roll over in submission. And even then she’ll keep feeding you.

Sausage Stuffed Red Peppers

• 3 large red bell peppers
• 4 italian sausages with cheese and parsley, casing removed
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1/4 cup grated Romano Cheese
• 4 slices bread, 4 ounces, cubed and soaked in 1/4 cup red wine and 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pignoli nuts (pine nuts)
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs

In a large frying pan heat the oil and cook the anchovy,breaking it up untill it melts into the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook till soft. Add the sausage meat and brown as you break it up fine with your spoon.

Once the sausage is cooked remove the pan from the heat. With a slotted spoon scoop out the sausage meat, leaving the oil behind, and place in a large bowl.  Squeeze the excess wine out of the soaked bread and add the bread, cheese, basil and pine nuts, pinch of salt and red wine vinegar to the sausage mixture. Mix well to incorporate the bread into the mixture. Allow to cool slightly. Add the beaten egg and mix well.

Cut the tops off the peppers and slice the peppers in half length wise and remove the seeds and ribs from the inside.

Stuff the peppers with the sausage stuffing and place in a well oiled baking pan. Sprinkle the tops lightly with the plain bread crumbs. Place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, on the lower part of the oven,  and bake for 50 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.