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1
Saute garlic and green onion or a minced shallot, if using, in olive oil, til very lightly browned
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2
(A teaspoon of butter may also be added to speed the browning along).
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3
Mash the anchovies using a fork, stirring them into the olive oil.
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4
Add parsley and other herbs, heat for 2 minutes.
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5
Add bread crumbs, then quickly mix in an egg which has been beaten (using a fork) with a few tablespoons warm water.
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6
Another teaspoon of olive oil may be added, if needed, for a smooth mixture.
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7
Add cheese and mix well; stir in enough warm water to make a mix that can be pressed into the center of the peppers which have had their stems removed, and have been seeded and cored.
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8
Saute the peppers in a skillet with 1/4 inch good olive oil with 3 to 5 peeled whole cloves garlic; turn the garlic to prevent browning.
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9
The garlic should just take on a lightly toasted color and will become soft, at which point it can be mashed into the oil and removed (save for spreading this on Italian bread - good before using for Bruschetta!)
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10
The peppers should begin to blacken/brown on one side; turn them several times to distribute the coloring, keeping them always well coated in olive oil.
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11
When they appear to be somewhat tender and have streaks of browning, cover pan for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
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12
Serve right away, sprinkled with coarse kosher or sea salt.
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13
Anchovy-stuffed peppers are even better on the grill, where grill marks will provide added appeal and color for an appetizing entree.
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14
Be sure to brush frequently with garlic infused olive oil.
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15
These same peppers can be made in a similar way, except they are only cored and seeded, but not stuffed.
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16
In this case, they are served drizzled with garlic-mashed olive oil in sandwiches made with crusty Italian bread.
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17
(A few caramelized onions can also be added but this somewhat detracts from the focus on the pepper flavor).
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18
Either dish is a good Summer meal, relatively light and doesn't need to be served piping hot.
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19
Simply sauteed in olive oil, the plain, unstuffed peppers are very quick and easy to prepare, and also travel well for picnics, or can be made ahead.
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20
Some warehous Club stores have a new type of miniature sweet pepper in all shades of orange, red, and yellow.
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21
They're wonderful for preparing a scaled down version of the anchovy-stuffed peppers, but are a bit sweet for the unstuffed version.
