A perfect pairing of baby sweet peppers and the delicate taste of Parma ham. Baked together they are a match made in heaven, the perfect Italian marriage. I love baking vegetables especially if they are filled with a warming and beautifully seasoned filling. These peppers are without a doubt a go to recipe for me and many of my readers and follows, a true favourite. The peppers make a great starter when nestled on a bed of rocket and drizzled with a well placed balsamic, delicious squashed into some warm rustic bread or just eaten (as I do) as part of my late night fridge raid ritual.

Stale bread can be found more or less in most bread bins lurking at the bottom, awaiting a revival. This recipe will awaken that stale bread as it will offer a perfect base filling. Traditionally cucina povera cooking, no waste for a true Italian’s kitchen. Parma ham sliced thinly offers a sweetness but also a perfect salt balance. Parma ham is delicious when fried off and tossed into pasta and works very well here too. I’ve taken the best of  the Emilia Romagna region and lovingly stuffed them into needy peppers. Everyone loves Parma ham and Parmesan. To make this dish vegetarian simply eliminate the Parma ham and use an alternative cheese. If I cook for friends, I will always make a tray load of these baby filled peppers. The only reason I make them so often is because I absolutely love them, a little too much in fact. As they are so small they make a great finger food or perfect served alongside an antipasti spread. This mixture would also suit a long Romano pepper. Buon appetito..

10 small pepper, halved, retain stalk
100g stale breadcrumbs
100g Parma ham, roughly chopped
50g freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Small bunch of oregano, thyme and basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to season
A little pinch of chili or a small fresh chilli
2 large eggs
Oven dish
peppers1
1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
2. Choose a dish and slice your peppers length ways, remove the white internal pith and seeds leaving on the green stalk as this will hold the pepper together.
3. In a bowl you need to mix all of the ingredients listed above. If you enjoy a little spicy kick add a small freshly chopped chilli or a tiny bit of dried chilli.
4. Fill the peppers using a teaspoon and place into your dish, push and squeeze them in and make sure the peppers are full to the brim. A tight fit in the dish is perfect.
Drizzle over some ‘Extra virgin olive oil’ to add a little added flavour. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and extra Parmesan (optional) bake for around 30 minutes until lightly golden.
These peppers will smell incredible. If you double the amount above they will keep in the fridge and are ideal as a side dish in a salad, squashed between some bread and also a wonderful accompaniment to fish and steak.