Italian Stuffed Vegetables Zucchini Bell Peppers Or Eggplants Food

ITALIAN STUFFED VEGETABLES (ZUCCHINI, BELL PEPPERS, OR EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Lightly drizzle ~2 tbsp olive oil into a baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together onion, parsley, egg, ketchup, salt, garlic, and black pepper.
• Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs.
• Mix in turkey until all is well combined.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Now take your zucchini and eggplant and carefully scrape out the seeds and some of the inner flesh, creating a pocket for the stuffing while still leaving a pretty thick shell.
• Halve and seed the bell peppers then fill all the vegetables with the turkey mixture, mounding slightly.
• Arrange stuffed vegetables in the baking dish, pour marinara sauce over everything and sprinkle with some more of the grated Romano (I like to use freshly grated Parmesan).
• Bake uncovered about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS OR ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Brown ground meat with onion and garlic. Add rice, water, and sauce. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is done.
• Meanwhile, shred cheese. Wash and split peppers or zucchini. Split the peppers into thirds or quarters, depending on size. Or split zucchini in half. Remove seeds from peppers or scoop out the seeded center of zucchini, leaving about 1/2 inch all around. Arrange peppers or zucchini in a 9"x13" or 10"x15" pan, hollow side up.
• When the meat-rice mixture is cooked, turn off heat. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese and stir until melted. Stuff the peppers or zucchini. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce. Bake uncovered at 350F for 30 minutes for peppers, or 45 minutes for zucchini, until heated through and sauce is bubbly.

PEPERONI RIPIENI ( ITALIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS WITH EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Salt out eggplants by adding salt and allow to stand 10 minutes until they sweat.
• Wash eggplants again to ensure the bitterness is removed.
• Heat enough olive oil in a fry pan and saute the eggplants until they become soft. Sauteing can be done in batches.
• Remove eggplants to a food processor and pulse for a few seconds.
• Add egg, basil, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste, and mix.
• In the meantime, preheat oven to 200°C.
• Cut off tops of green peppers and remove seeds.
• Arrange bell peppers in a casserole dish with the open part showing.
• Distribute the eggplant stuffing mix to the bell peppers.
• Top each pepper with mozzarella cheese.
• Spray Pam onto the dish and add the water.
• Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake 30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI, RED PEPPER, AND PARMESAN TORTE

Steps:

• Halve onions through root end and thinly slice. Finely chop garlic. In a large heavy skillet cook onions with salt to taste in 2 tablespoons oil, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until any liquid onions give off is evaporated. Add tomatoes with juice, sage, and thyme and simmer, stirring occasionally, until excess liquid is evaporated and mixture is very thick. Season mixture with salt and pepper and cool. Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush at least 2 shallow baking pans with some remaining oil.
• Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and arrange in one layer in baking pans. Brush eggplant slices with some remaining oil and roast in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through roasting time, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool eggplant 5 minutes and transfer with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
• Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and roast in same manner until tender and pale golden, about 25 minutes. Cool zucchini 5 minutes and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Quarter bell peppers lengthwise and discard stems, seeds, and ribs. Arrange peppers, skin sides up, in oiled baking pans and brush with some remaining oil. Roast peppers in same manner until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool peppers 5 minutes and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes and whisk in milk and cream. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool sauce 5 minutes. Whisk in eggs, two thirds Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. and lightly oil a 14- x 10- x 2 1/2-inch or other 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. In baking dish arrange half of eggplant, overlapping slices to form an even layer, and season with salt and pepper. Top eggplant with half of tomato mixture, spreading evenly, and pour about one third Parmigiano-Reggiano custard over it. Nestle half of zucchini in custard and season with salt and pepper. Top zucchini with half of peppers. Repeat layering, reserving half of remaining custard for topping. Pour reserved custard over final layer of peppers and sprinkle with remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• Bake torte in middle of oven until custard is puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let torte stand 10 minutes before serving.