Italian Inspired Stuffed Bell Peppers - How To Make

Italian Inspired Stuffed Bell Peppers
This can be used as a simple starter or a light lunch.

Ingredients
250gms Lean Minced Beef (ground beef)
1 Large Onion (diced)
1 Clove of Garlic (finely chopped)
5 Bell Peppers
1 400gms tin of chopped Tomatoes
1Teaspoon Oregano
1Teaspoon Basil
1/2 cup Rice (125gms)
Salt & Pepper for seasoning
Olive oil

Method
Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook for 6-7 minutes. Add in the herbs and then add a tin of tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add the rice and leave covered for rice to cook approx. 15-20 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Leave to cool.
Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Season cavity of the peppers with pepper and a little salt. Stuff the peppers with the meat/rice mixture pressing the stuffing in firmly.
Place the stuffed peppers in a roasting tin and add water about an inch deep.
Cook in the oven on 200 degrees centigrade (390-400 Fahrenheit)
for 25-30 mins or until the peppers have softened.
By cooking uncovered in your oven, the peppers may start to char which is what you want to happen.

Tomato, Red Pepper & Olive Pasta Sauce - How To Make

How to make a tasty tomato, red pepper & olive pasta sauce.

Ingredients:-
400gm Tin of Italian Tomatoes - break up tomatoes and use the juice only.
2 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
1/2 Red Onion diced
1 Red Pepper finely diced
1/2 teaspoon of dried Oregano if you cant get fresh
       Substitute with Fresh Basil leaves as an alternative.
Salt & Pepper to taste
8-10 Olives de-stoned and halved

Serve with :-
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
Pasta of your choice



Method:-
Drain the tomatoes using a sieve and bowl and break up to release the juice.
In a large heavy based frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.
Fry the diced onions and pepper. Add 2 crushed cloves of Garlic. Add the Oregano and the juice of the tomatoes and simmer until the sauce reduces.
Season with black Pepper and salt, but remember olives will be a little salty too. Use the back of a knife and squash the Olives to remove the stone and half the Olives and add to the sauce.

In a large saucepan, boil water and season with Salt. Add 250gms Spaghetti or Linguine Pasta and cook for 8 minutes until soft but has a bite. This is Al dente. Take pasta and drain but leave a small teacup of the pasta water and add this and the pasta to the sauce and toss in the pan to mix. Add a handful of Parmesan Cheese. Add fresh ground black pepper and serve.

This is a simple and easy dish. Give it a try with different herbs such as Basil or Thyme should you wish to add them to the sauce.
I had the tomato juice left over from the Arrabiata recipe and didn't want to waste it. As a result I concocted this recipe.