Stuffed Banana Peppers
These are very good. If you want to tone down the spice, you can use mild sausage only for the filling.
- 8 banana peppers
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 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
- Cut off tops of peppers, and remove ribs and seeds. Chop edible portions of tops; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peppers, reduce heat, and simmer until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat butter in a medium skillet. Saute reserved chopped pepper, onion and celery until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and garlic. Season with basil, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan. Mix in hot sausage, mild sausage, bread crumbs and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture.
- Using a piping bag or sausage stuffer, fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Place in a 3 quart casserole dish, and pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over peppers.
- Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.