6-8 sweet red Italian peppers (the number of peppers will depend on how large they are)*
8 ounces soft goat cheese, possibly more if you use larger peppers (I used a mild tasting one - check out Belle Chevre)
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
a handful of fresh basil leaves (save a few to chiffonade and garnish)
twist of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To remove seeds from peppers: Cut off stem and calyx, then run knife down the body of the pepper lengthwise on one side, but not cut the pepper in half. Open the pepper up gently so that you can use your fingers to remove the seeds and any thick ribs.
Whir olives, basil, and freshly ground black pepper in food processor for about a minute, just until it is slightly chunky and looks like the size of small gravel.
Using your fingers (a spoon isn't all that helpful), stuff goat cheese into the peppers, without filling them too tightly (so you have room for the olive mixture). Top with olive-basil mixture (go easy on this -- Kalamatas are salty!). Sprinkle with chiffonaded basil to garnish. Serves 6-8 as an appetizer, possible 2 or 3 as a meal. *Burp* (Actually, I ate 4 and was still hungry. But my peppers were really, really, tiny. Not really.)
Notes
* See my header photo with those lovely curlicues of peppers? Don't use those to stuff. They are more difficult to stuff with cheese and the olive topping doesn't stick very well. Choose the more straight peppers; eat the curly ones plain or cut up for a quiche (that recipe coming soon).
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/vegetable-recipes/goat-cheese-stuffed-red-peppers/