Ingredients

  • 4 large bell peppers (may mix colors)
  • 16 ounces white button mushrooms, chopped small
  • 3 -4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mixed Italian herbs (may use basil or oregano, etc.)
  • 8 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 34 cup grated pecorino romano cheese or 34 cup parmesan cheese or 34 cup asiago cheese
  • wooden toothpick (as needed)

Method

  • Preheat broiler in oven.
  • Place peppers on foil on a baking sheet and place under broiler.
  • Turn peppers as the blacken, to darken all sides.
  • When skin blisters and blackens all over, remove from oven and place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
  • Allow peppers to sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes to soften skins.
  • Meanwhile, cook mushrooms in oil until soft and tender, seasoning with salt, pepper, and herbs.
  • Drain off any excess water that releases from mushrooms and allow to cool.
  • Mix ricotta in a small bowl with dijon mustard until smooth.
  • Add mushrooms to this mixture (when cool) and stir.
  • Rinse peppers under cool water (especially if they are still warm- to keep from burning your hands) and peel away loose skin.
  • Make a slit along the side of each pepper, and using knife to cut close to the stem on the inside, remove seed cluster.
  • Rinse pepper to remove any stray seeds.
  • Fill each pepper with a portion of the ricotta mixture, and skewer the pepper closed with one or more toothpicks.
  • Gently place pepper on foil on a baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle tops of peppers with grated cheese.
  • If you have any leftover filling (depending on your pepper's size) you may want to place this in an ovenproof ramekin and sprinkle with grated cheese as well.
  • Broil peppers for 3-5 minutes (ramekin as well, if using), or until cheese lightly browns and filling is warmed through.
  • Serve hot.