Peppers with Feta

Hi Foodies! I’m on a Greek-Appetizer-with-Feta kick these days. Last post was about making Greek Zucchini Fritters (a little labor-intensive, but absolutely worth the effort!)

Today I’m going to try these lovely looking Peppers with Feta, otherwise known as Piperies Gemistes me Feta. (another fun phrase to try and say 10 times fast!)

What I love about Feta cheese is it’s versatility. Seems like whatever I make with it, the food is always delicious. And, since I’m trying to be a little more conscious of my fat intake, I’m thrilled that I can find reduced-fat Feta in my local grocery store. And happily, using the reduced-fat version does not seem to skimp on flavor like some reduced-fat cheeses do. Let me know what you think of this recipe! Happy grazing!

How cool is this Zester Grater? Click on the photo and order it today!

What you’ll need:
(Printable Recipe)
- 10  3-4 inch Fresno chiles or six 4-5 inch Anaheim chiles
- 9 oz. of feta, crumbled – substitute with reduced-fat feta if you like
- 2 Tablespoons of  extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons of Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon of minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp. of lemon zest (need a zester grater?)
- 1/4 tsp. of dried oregano
- 2 egg yolks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

What to do for Peppers with Feta:
1. Arrange your oven rack about 6″ from the broiler element and turn oven on to broil. Put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until they turn soft, about 5 minutes. Then, transfer the peppers to a rack to cool.

2. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the feta, oil, yogurt, parsley, lemon zest, oregano, and egg yolks. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

3. Back to the peppers. After they have cooled, make a lengthwise cut from the stem to the tip of each pepper and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Next, stuff each pepper with the feta mixture.

4. Transfer the stuffed peppers to a foil-lined baking sheet (you can use parchment paper instead if you like). Chill the peppers for about 30 minutes. Then, sprinkle the peppers with the grated cheese and broil  until the cheese becomes golden brown and bubbly – usually for about 5-6 minutes. Don’t walk to far away – as the cheese can start to burn quickly at the end.

Transfer those yummy peppers with feta to a pretty serving platter and serve ‘em up hot.

This lovely recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Quick note: if you want to cool down the spice of the peppers just a bit or get a little fancy, make some Tzatziki Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (once you click on the link, scroll down to get the recipe – it’s in the Greek Zucchini Fritters post)  and add a tiny dab on top of each pepper. YUM!

*I got this idea from the Saveur magazine in Issue #131. And many thanks for the photo up top from Todd Coleman.