Italian Rolled Peppers With Mushrooms and Ricotta

Ingredients

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

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat broiler in oven.

2. 2

   Place peppers on foil on a baking sheet and place under broiler.

3. 3

   Turn peppers as the blacken, to darken all sides.

4. 4

   When skin blisters and blackens all over, remove from oven and place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

5. 5

   Allow peppers to sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes to soften skins.

6. 6

   Meanwhile, cook mushrooms in oil until soft and tender, seasoning with salt, pepper, and herbs.

7. 7

   Drain off any excess water that releases from mushrooms and allow to cool.

8. 8

   Mix ricotta in a small bowl with dijon mustard until smooth.

9. 9

   Add mushrooms to this mixture (when cool) and stir.

10. 10

    Rinse peppers under cool water (especially if they are still warm- to keep from burning your hands) and peel away loose skin.

11. 11

    Make a slit along the side of each pepper, and using knife to cut close to the stem on the inside, remove seed cluster.

12. 12

    Rinse pepper to remove any stray seeds.

13. 13

    Fill each pepper with a portion of the ricotta mixture, and skewer the pepper closed with one or more toothpicks.

14. 14

    Gently place pepper on foil on a baking sheet.

15. 15

    Sprinkle tops of peppers with grated cheese.

16. 16

    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.

17. 17

    Broil peppers for 3-5 minutes (ramekin as well, if using), or until cheese lightly browns and filling is warmed through.

18. 18

    Serve hot.