Peppers, tomatoes, squash, zucchinis; all things that can be stuffed with greatness and made to perfection on the panini. Like many of my recipes, this one is extremely versatile. Stuffed peppers I thought originated in Spain, ‘pimientos rellenos’, however I’ve learned that many countries and cultures have their own variation of the stuffed pepper.
India- Bharwan Mirch
Arabic- Dolma (kousa, sometimes called mahshi is stuffed squash– and it’s amazing!!)
Mexico- Chille Relleno
Greece- Yemista
Egypt- Mashi Phil-Phil
Romania- Ardei Umpluti
USA- Stuffed Pepper
My recipe for the panini version of a stuffed pepper:
Ingredients:
Yellow, Green, Or Red Bell Pepper
Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil
Egg (optional*)
Chopped Onion
Chopped Zucchini
Salt
Pork Sausage (optional*)
Chopped Mushrooms
Assembling:
1. Wash the pepper and cut off the stem end of the pepper (the ‘hat’) to save for later
2. Clean and remove the seeds
3. Rub olive oil and salt on the outside of the pepper
4. In a bowl combine the desired ingredients
5. Fill the pepper and grill on the panini
6. Have something at the bottom of the panini to catch the juices that will ooze out to pour over the pepper when it’s finished
7. Grill on the panini for 8 minutes
8. When finished, take off and pour the sauce over it
9. For presentation purposes, but the hat back on top
*Breadcrumbs and eggs are added to thicken the stuffing
*If you are using meat, cook the meat on the panini before mixing with the other ingredients
Raid your fridge and see what you can incorporate into your stuffing with these suggestions:
-Mexican: combine cheese, tomatoes, chorizo, bread crumbs and top it with salsa and sour cream; serve on a bed of shredded lettuce
-Meat Lovers: combine pork sausage, chorizo, mushrooms, mix in your favorite cheese
-Cheesy: combine ricotta, marscapone, feta cheese and breadcrumbs
-Veggie: combine chopped/shredded zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, spanish onions, and garbanzo beans
-Asian: Water chestnuts, bok choy, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tofu, and chopped peanuts (or meat of your choice)
Don’t you just love versatility 🙂
Enjoy,
Sani
sanipanini 