Stuffed fryer peppers

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• One 5 ounce bag baby spinach
• 2 sliced of white bread, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 small or 4 large Italian frying peppers halved lengthwise and cored, stems left intact
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Preparation:

In a large skillet, cook the spinach over high heat just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain and press out all of the water. Coarsely chop the spinach. Rinse out and dry the pan. In a large bowl, mix the chopped bread with the milk, egg and cheese to form a paste. Knead in the onion, sausage and spinach and season lightly moistened hands, divide the mixture among the pepper halves and lightly pack it in. In the skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the stuffed peppers, filing side down, and cook over high heat until well browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the peppers and cook until the skins are browned and blistered, about 4 minutes longer. Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth, cover and simmer until the sausage filling is cooked through and the peppers are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve right away.