PASTA STUFFED PEPPERS

Pasta Stuffed Peppers image

Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network

Time 1h5m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Kosher salt
8 ounces ditalini pasta
6 large bell peppers (any color)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water, then set aside.
Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the pepper flesh from the tops and set aside. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membrane as you can. Place the peppers upright in a baking dish just large enough to accommodate them.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and diced pepper tops. Cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Italian sausage, crumbling it as you go, and stir until it is cooked and nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and black pepper, then remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the ricotta, half of the shredded mozzarella and the reserved pasta. Stir until well combined. Divide the mixture among the prepared peppers. Top the peppers with the remaining mozzarella and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese is bubbly, another 15 minutes.
Serve garnished with fresh basil.