Italian Sausage-Stuffed Peppers with Wisconsin Cheeses and Orzo
4 cups water 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup orzo45 12 ounces fresh Italian sausage, either hot or mild 1 cup chopped roasted red peppers, drained 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded provolone cheese 6 large fresh whole red peppers, tops sliced off and seeded ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons homemade or prepared refrigerated basil pesto
Instructions:
Orzo is a dried pasta, shaped like short grain rice.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bring the water to a boil in a large, deep pot. Add the salt and orzo. Boil for 9 minutes. Drain in a wire sieve and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Set aside.
- Remove the sausage from the casings, if necessary, and break up into small pieces. Sauté over medium-high heat until browned and barely cooked through. Add the chopped red peppers. Remove from the heat and stir in the orzo and cheeses until the cheese melts. Cool.
- Coat a 10 x 10-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Stuff the sausage-orzo mixture into the whole peppers and place the peppers upright in the pan. Mix the breadcrumbs and the pesto and spread evenly over the tops of the stuffed peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the surface is lightly browned.
- Serve immediately.