Delicious and easy to prepare, these peppers can be served as an appetizer or as a savory side dish, perfect for pairing with cheese or eggs. You can also use a mix of sweet peppers and hot chili peppers.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Portions: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 10 mini sweet bell peppers (or small round chili peppers)
• ½ cup breadcrumbs (I used gluten free breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons of capers
• 2 tablespoons of grated cheese (optional) such as Pecorino, Parmigiano, Provolone, or other as you like — optional)
• 1 clove of garlic
• Mixed aromatic herbs (thyme, basil, mint, parsley, oregano, or other seasonal herbs)
• 1 ½ cups of white wine vinegar
• 1 ½ cups of water
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Clean the mini bell peppers. Wash and remove the caps, then remove the filaments and seeds. Rinse them under running water.

2. In a saucepan, bring the water and white wine vinegar to a boil. Add the peppers and blanch them for at least 5 minutes.

3. Drain the peppers when they are still firm and let them dry upside down.

4. Chop the capers, garlic, and mixed herbs finely – you can use a blender or a chopping board. Add the breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of oil, and grated cheese if desired. Mix for a few seconds.

5. Stuff the peppers with the mixture (set aside 1 tablespoon of the mixture for topping). Lightly grease a baking tray with the remaining tablespoon of oil, place the stuffed peppers on it, cover each pepper with its top, spread the reserved mixture over the peppers, and bake at 360°F for around 10-15 minutes.

6. They are ready when the edges begin to turn golden brown.

Tips:

These Baked Mini Sweet Peppers with Herbs and Capers become even more tasty as leftovers, because the peppers absorb and enhance the flavors while resting overnight in the refrigerator.