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Sausage and Pepper Poppers
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Sausage and Mini Pepper Poppers

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Italian sausage, red pepper
Servings: 25

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (casing removed if links or rope)
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
  • 1 ½ lbs mini sweet peppers
  • 2 cups  shredded Italian blend cheese 
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed/minced 
  • 3 eggs beaten and a splash of water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 2 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • canola or neutral oil, for frying 

Instructions

  • Preparing the peppers:
    1. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
    2. Remove the sausage from the casing and add to the to pan with the onions.
    3. Cook, breaking up the sausage as you go with a spatula or wooden spoon, 10-12 minutes.
    4. Once sausage is cooked through and crumbled, add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until just fragrant.
    5. Turn off the heat, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
    6. Add the shredded cheese to the warm cooked sausage mixture, and toss to coat. Once combined, allow to cool enough to handle before proceeding with filling the peppers, about 10 minutes.
    7. While the filling cools, make a slit in each mini pepper, being careful not to go edge to edge. You just want to make a long narrow opening
    8. Carefully remove any pith and seeds with your fingers or a spoon, and rinse the peppers well to remove all seeds.Continue until all peppers are slit and seeded.
    9. Using your hands or a small spoon, carefully fill each pepper with cooled filling and press gently to close.
    10. Set up a dredging station with the beaten egg and water, flour, and a well mixed combination of Panko and parmesan.
    11. Once all are stuffed, dip each in beaten egg and water, then into the flour, then into the egg again , then lastly into the breadcrumb and parmesan. Continue until all peppers are breaded.
    To Fry:
    1. Heat 2” of oil over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until very hot.
    2. Carefully add the breaded peppers in batches, and fry over medium -high heat for 1-2 minutes a side, until juts golden brown.
    3. Carefully remove from oil with tongs, and transfer to a wire rack to cool fro 5-10 minutes.
    4. Serve hot.
    To Bake:
    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
    3. Layer peppers onto baking sheet, preferably cut seam side up.
    4. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
    5. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping half way through.
    6. Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5-10 mines before serving,.
    Making the dipping sauce:
    1. Add all ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk until well combined.
    2. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
    Makes about 25 poppers.