Roasted stuffed peppers with spinach, chickpeas, and goat’s cheese

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4tbs olive oil
• 6 peppers (any colour you like)
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 tin chickpeas, rinsed
• 200g fresh spinach
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 onions, minced
• fresh parsley
• fresh basil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 150g goat cheese, crumbled

Method

Heat oven to 200°C. Grease a baking pan with olive oil. Set aside.

Cut the top ½-inch off of the peppers, keep the flesh from the tops, discarding the stems and the seeds. Arrange the bell pepper bottoms and tops cut side down in a single layer on the prepared baking pan. Brush with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Place peppers in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, or until starting to blister. Flip the peppers so that they are cut side up and then let them cool for 5 minutes. Season the insides with salt and black pepper.

Lower the oven to 180°C.

Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and then use a potato masher to coarsely mash them. Chop the pepper tops into cubes and add them to the bowl with the chickpeas.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 2min, add the spinach and let it wilt.

Transfer the garlic mixture to the bowl with the chickpeas. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Once cool, stir the scallions, parsley, basil, and lemon juice into the chickpea mixture. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Fold in the goat cheese until just combined.

Spoon the filling into the peppers, dividing it evenly among them. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Serve warm.