Stuffed Long Hots (Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Hot Peppers)
Stuffed Long Hots are a delicious and fun way to enjoy classic Italian hot peppers. The peppers are filled with a savory filling of Italian sausage, melty mozzarella cheese and tangy sun dried tomatoes then topped with a breadcrumb/pecorino mix and roasted. So easy and delicious! Perfect as a starter, side or hors d’oeuvre at your next get-together.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
- 8-10 long hot peppers (about ¾-1 pound peppers)
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese + (optionally) more for top/broiling
- ¼ cup fine, plain breadcrumbs + (optionally) more for top/broiling
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)
- Pinch ground black pepper
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (hot or sweet–your preference)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces) + (optionally) more for top/broiling
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained of any oil (about 3 ounces drained)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Marinara or tomato basil sauce or pesto (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Place one rack on the bottom 1/3 of the oven and another rack under the broiler (for the optional finishing step). Preheat oven to 400˚F and use the convection setting if you have that available. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and rub it with a little oil. Gather and prep all ingredients according to the specifications above.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Prep the long hot peppers. Rinse and dry the peppers, then remove and discard the thick stem. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove most seeds and big veins. You can either leave the pepper halves as is or cut them down further into smaller pieces. Small pieces are great for hors d’oeuvres! (See the photos above for both ways.) You may want to use gloves while removing the seeds and veins from the peppers. They are not super, super hot, but just be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive parts of your face afterwards.8-10 long hot peppers
- Next, combine the pecorino cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped herbs and black pepper in a small bowl and set it aside.¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, ¼ cup fine, plain breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil, Pinch ground black pepper
- Mix the bulk Italian sausage, shredded mozzarella and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl until well-combined.1 pound Italian sausage,, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes,
- Stuff the hot peppers with the sausage mixture, using your hands or a small spoon. The stuffing does not need to be mounded high and the peppers do not need to be overfilled.
- Once all the peppers are stuffed, sprinkle the tops of each pepper with the breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Then, transfer them to the parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Use two baking sheets if necessary.
- Once on the sheet pan, lightly drizzle each pepper with olive oil.
- Transfer the peppers to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. If you’re not sure whether the sausage filling is cooked through, use a stem thermometer to check that it has reached an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- You can enjoy the peppers as is or, optionally, finish them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes with a bit more breadcrumbs and cheeses (mozzarella and pecorino) sprinkled over them. Be careful and stay close as to not burn the peppers!
- Transfer the finished stuffed hot peppers to a serving platter and serve alone or with some heated marinara sauce or pesto for dipping. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- If you can’t find long hot peppers, this recipe works great with jalapeño peppers or any other sweet or hot, short, thin peppers.
- Use any sausage you prefer: hot or sweet, pork, chicken or turkey. You can also use your favorite meatball mixture in this recipe and it will be excellent.
- It’s always best to shred the mozzarella yourself to avoid the anti-caking agents that are added to pre-shredded cheeses. I always buy whole milk block mozzarella and then shred it myself on a box grater.
- Always be careful when handling hot peppers. You may want to use gloves while removing the seeds and veins from the peppers. They are not super, super hot, but just be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive parts of your face afterwards.
- For a vegetarian (oreganata) and more simple version of this dish that is also very delicious, just sprinkle the prepped peppers with a mixture of breadcrumbs, mozzarella, pecorino and black pepper and bake. They won’t need as much time in the oven as the sausage stuffed peppers.
- To store leftovers (if you have any!), refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. The peppers do not need to be completely thawed before reheating.
