NEAPOLITAN-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Neapolitan-Style Stuffed Peppers image

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 medium eggplant (about 1 pound each)
6 large red, yellow or green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3/4 cup pitted and chopped mild, oil-cured black olives, such as Gaeta
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic (large), peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plain dry bread crumbs

Steps:

1 Trim the eggplants and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes. Layer the pieces in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt. Place the colander over a plate and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry with paper towels. 2 In a large skillet, heat the 1/2 cup of oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. 3 Stir in the tomatoes, olives, anchovies, capers, garlic, parsley, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then cook 5 minutes more. Stir in the 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and remove from the heat. 4 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Oil a baking pan just large enough to hold the peppers upright. 5 Cut off the stems of the peppers and remove the seeds and white membranes. Stuff the eggplant mixture into the peppers. Stand the peppers in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. 6 Pour 1 cup water around the peppers. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until the peppers are very tender and lightly browned. Serve hot or at room temperature. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves