These cheesy little bites pack big rich flavors! And their bright pop of color makes them a welcome site at any table! They are a wonderful and easy appetizer for a party or dinner, but they are also fabulous served with some crusty bread for a weekend lunch. I like that they are equally delicious warm out of the oven or at room temperature:)

I have a deep love for chèvre cheese and think that it goes perfectly with these flavors, but if you needed to substitute you could use cream cheese in its place. And if you can’t find pancetta (sometimes hard to find in smaller towns) bacon pieces could be used in it’s place.

the recipe

Cheese Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers - Peperoni Ripieni di Formaggio

THE INGREDIENTS -

• 1 lb mini bell peppers

• 8 oz chèvre cheese brought to room temp

• 1/2 cup fresh grated pecorino or parmesan cheese

• 1 Tbsp heavy cream or half and half

• Fresh chives - dice

• Fresh basil - chiffonade

• 4 oz diced pancetta

• Balsamic vinegar glaze for garnish (if desired)

THE PREPARATION -

1. Cut the mini bell peppers in half, leaving on the stems so that the pepper half creates a bowl for the cheese. Discard any seeds you find.

2. In a bowl, mix together the room temp chèvre cheese, grated pecorino cheese and the heavy cream. Add in the fresh herbs and mix to combine.

3. Add the cheese mixture to the peppers and bake at 400 degrees for approx. 15 min

4. While the peppers are baking, add the diced pancetta to a frying pan and saute until starting to crisp up. Set aside.

5. Garnish baked peppers with the diced pancetta, additional fresh basil and a drizzle of the balsamic glaze.

6. Serve and enjoy!!

Buon Appetito! And remember, these delicious cheesy bites go great with wine ;)