Italian Stuffed Peppers with Herbed Rice

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan / 400°F). Halve the peppers lengthways through the stem, leaving the stem intact for presentation. Remove the seeds and white membrane. Brush the cut surfaces lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side up in a large roasting dish, nestling them snugly so they support each other during baking. Pre-roast the empty pepper halves for 10 minutes — this head start ensures the pepper is fully tender by the time the filling is cooked through.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, minced garlic, torn basil, and chopped parsley. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well — taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should be boldly flavoured since the pepper will mellow it slightly during baking. Fold in half the mozzarella pieces, reserving the rest for the top.

Spoon the herbed rice filling generously into each pre-roasted pepper half, pressing it in lightly and mounding it slightly above the rim. Pour the passata into the base of the roasting dish around the peppers — this creates steam that keeps the peppers moist and forms a light sauce. Scatter the reserved mozzarella pieces over the top of each filled pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Cover the roasting dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15–20 minutes until the mozzarella is bubbling and golden in spots and the pepper walls are completely tender when pierced with a knife. Rest for 5 minutes before serving — this allows the filling to settle and the juices to redistribute. Spoon the tomato sauce from the base of the dish over the peppers just before serving.