Recipe: Roasted peppers stuffed with homemade ricotta

Roasted peppers stuffed with homemade ricotta

Total time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

4 red or yellow bell peppers, preferably a combination

1 cup homemade ricotta

2 tablespoons capers, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for finishing

Pinch crushed red pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon minced chives

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a jellyroll pan with aluminum foil and place the whole peppers on top. Roast, turning occasionally, until the peppers are shrunken and shriveled, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. While the peppers are roasting, roughly stir together in a small bowl the ricotta, capers, olive oil, red pepper, salt and freshly ground black pepper and chives. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

3. After the peppers have cooled, peel away the tough skins and discard. Remove the stems and use your fingers to rub off any seeds that stick.

4. Divide the peppers into lengthwise strips about 2 inches wide; usually this will mean in quarters. Place a scant tablespoon of ricotta filling at one end of the pepper and roll it up end to end, pressing gently to keep everything together. Place each completed roll on a platter (it’s nice to alternate red and yellow pieces).

5. When all of the pepper pieces have been used, lightly drizzle the completed rolls with a little very good olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt before serving.

Each of 6 servings: 117 calories; 6 grams protein; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 16 mg. cholesterol; 3 grams sugar; 196 mg. sodium.