Culinary Guides

Banana peppers stuffed with a rich Italian sausage and Parmesan filling, then baked in a simple tomato sauce until tender. It is hearty, a little old school, and worth the effort.

Ingredients

• 8 banana peppers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Directions

1. Cut the tops off the banana peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Chop the edible parts of the tops and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the peppers, lower the heat, and simmer about 5 minutes until tender but still firm. Drain and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook the reserved chopped pepper tops, onion, and celery about 3 to 5 minutes until tender.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, basil, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Heat the oven to 350F (175C).
5. In a large bowl, mix the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, Worcestershire, and Parmesan.
6. Work in the hot and mild sausage, bread crumbs, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce until well combined.
7. Fill each pepper with the meat mixture, taking care not to overfill, and set them in a 3 quart casserole dish.
8. Pour the remaining sauce over the peppers.
9. Cover and bake 1 hour, until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
10. Let rest a few minutes, then serve hot with extra Parmesan.

These freeze well before baking; bake from frozen and add 10 to 15 minutes. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Grower's tip: banana peppers are among the most forgiving peppers to grow, heavy croppers on compact plants. Pick them pale yellow for a mild, sweet flavor, or let them turn orange and red for a little more punch, and choose long, straight pods for easy stuffing.

Grow the stars of this dish yourself. Plant an onion patch, a little celery, and pots of basil and oregano for the sauce.