Bob's Stuffed Banana Peppers recipe

Name: Bob's Stuffed Banana Peppers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 1 large egg; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce; ½ cup chopped onion; ½ cup chopped celery; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 ½ cups bread crumbs; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes; 2 ½ teaspoons salt, divided; 8 banana peppers; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided; 1 pound hot Italian sausage; 1 pound mild Italian sausage

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Cut off the tops of peppers. Chop edible portions of the tops; set aside. Use a small knife to slice lengthwise through one side of each pepper; remove ribs and seeds.

Step 3

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peppers, reduce heat, and simmer until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Step 4

Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté reserved chopped pepper, onion, and celery in hot butter until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and garlic. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, basil, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, combine Parmesan cheese, egg, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Mix in hot sausage, mild sausage, bread crumbs, and 1 cup tomato sauce mixture until well combined.

Step 6

Fill each pepper with sausage mixture using a piping bag or sausage stuffer. Place in a 3-quart casserole dish; pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over peppers.

Step 7

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbly and sausage is cooked through, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the filling should read at least 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).