Cheesy Stuffed Green Bell Peppers with Savory Rice Filling

Prepare the peppers by cutting off the tops and removing the seeds and membranes. Rinse and set aside to drain.

In a skillet, heat a little oil and sauté the sliced mushrooms with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 minced garlic clove until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped mortadella, the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, the remaining minced garlic clove, grated Parmesan, rice and bread crumbs. Add the egg, a pinch of salt and about 1 teaspoon oil. Mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together, then stuff each pepper with this filling.

In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion in a little oil until soft. Stir in the tomato puree and a pinch of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes to meld the flavors.

Place the stuffed peppers upright in the tomato sauce, cut side up. Cover the pan and cook gently until the peppers are tender and the filling is fully cooked, about 25–40 minutes depending on pepper size. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little boiling water or broth to keep the peppers from drying out.

When ready, serve the peppers warm with spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and a sprinkle of extra Parmesan or parsley if desired.