STUFFED BABY PEPPERS

adapted from AGA magazine, Spring 2006

8 red, yellow or orange Baby Peppers
2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
3 oz. provolone cheese, cut into very small cubes
4T freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1 egg
3T chives, finely cut
(2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, optional)
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Remove the stalks from the peppers and reserve. With a small, sharp knife, remove the white membrane and seeds from inside the peppers taking care not to tear the flesh.

Mix together the mashed potatoes, provolone, Parmigiano, egg, chives, the garlic, if you are using it, and some salt and pepper.

Using a small teaspoon, fill the peppers three-quarters full with the mixture; the stuffing will puff up and if too full will ooze out the top. Put the stalks back in place on top. Pack the peppers tightly into an ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 30minutes, until tender.

On the Aga: Cook on the grid shelf set on the floor of the Roasting oven. If they start to brown too quickly, slide in the cold plain shelf on the second runners down.

Serve hot or cold.

Use a decorative pan to cook the peppers so that you can also serve them in it.