Daily Italian Recipe · Antipasto
Stuffed Peppers Antipasto Board
Sweet roasted peppers filled with breadcrumbs, olives, capers and anchovies bring Southern Italian flavour to this generous antipasto board. Serve them with creamy burrata and focaccia for a colourful start to a shared meal.
Total time
60 minutes
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy
Origin
Southern Italy
Peperoni ripieni belong to the home cooking of Southern Italy, with fillings changing between regions and households. Breadcrumb versions reflect cucina povera: yesterday’s bread becomes a savoury filling, enriched with pantry staples such as capers, olives and anchovies.
This version follows that southern breadcrumb tradition, letting the peppers soften slowly while the filling turns golden. The board is a contemporary serving arrangement, with Puglian burrata alongside rather than inside the peppers.
Ingredients
- 600 g small red and yellow bell peppers, approximately 4
- 100 g day-old rustic bread, crust removed and crumb coarsely blitzed
- 50 g pitted black olives, chopped
- 15 g salt-packed capers, rinsed, soaked briefly and drained
- 20 g anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped
- 5 g garlic, finely minced
- 10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 g dried oregano
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 100 ml water, divided
- 1 g fine sea salt, for the pepper cavities
- 0.5 g freshly ground black pepper
- 250 g Burrata Caseificio La Deliziosa, 2 × 125 gShop
- 250 g Focaccia Home Made, cut into sharing piecesShop
Method
- 1
1. Prepare the peppers
Heat the oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan. Halve the peppers lengthways, keeping the stalks attached where possible. Remove the seeds and white membranes. Coat a snug baking dish with 10 ml olive oil, arrange the peppers cut-side up and distribute the salt inside their cavities.
- 2
2. Make the breadcrumb filling
Combine the coarse bread crumbs, olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, parsley, oregano and black pepper. Add 25 ml olive oil and 40 ml water, then toss thoroughly. The mixture should feel lightly moist and loose, not wet or pasty.
- 3
3. Fill without compressing
Divide the filling evenly among the eight pepper halves, spooning it in loosely so the tops remain textured. Drizzle the remaining 10 ml olive oil over the filling. Pour the remaining 60 ml water into the base of the dish, avoiding the pepper cavities.
- 4
4. Roast until tender
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the peppers are tender when pierced and the crumb tops are golden. If the dish dries out before the peppers soften, add a small splash of water around them.
- 5
5. Rest and prepare the accompaniments
Rest the peppers for 10–15 minutes so their juices settle. Meanwhile, warm the focaccia for 5 minutes in the switched-off oven. Drain the burrata gently and place it in a shallow serving bowl.
- 6
6. Assemble the antipasto board
Transfer the warm peppers to a platter set on a large serving board. Add the bowl of burrata and the focaccia pieces alongside. Serve promptly, letting everyone take a pepper half, some creamy burrata and bread to catch the roasting juices.
Chef's secret
Use coarse crumbs from day-old bread rather than fine, dry commercial breadcrumbs. Their irregular texture holds the savoury juices while leaving little peaks that crisp beautifully in the oven.
Did you know?
In many Southern Italian dishes, breadcrumbs provide substance and texture without needing a large quantity of meat or cheese. Stuffed vegetables are one of the most delicious expressions of that resourceful approach.
Common mistakes
- Packing the filling tightly: compressed crumbs become dense rather than light and textured.
- Adding salt to the filling automatically: anchovies, olives and capers already contribute plenty.
- Browning the tops before the peppers soften: keep the dish covered for the first part of cooking.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate leftover peppers in a sealed container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C, and use within 2 days. Reheat covered at 170°C for 15–20 minutes, until piping hot throughout, then uncover briefly to refresh the tops. Store burrata separately in the refrigerator according to its label and, once opened, use within 24 hours or sooner if instructed. Keep focaccia separate and warm briefly before serving; do not reheat an assembled board.
Shop the recipe
Delivered across Hong Kong by SF Express or Lalamove.
FAQ
Can I prepare the peppers ahead?
Yes. Roast them up to a day ahead, cool promptly and refrigerate. Reheat as directed, then let them rest briefly before adding freshly drained burrata and warmed focaccia.
Can I make the filling without anchovies?
Yes. Meat-free and fish-free breadcrumb fillings also belong to Italian home cooking. Omit the anchovies, keeping the olives and capers, and taste the filling before deciding whether it needs a little extra salt.
Can I order the accompaniments in Hong Kong?
The Italian Club Hong Kong offers the listed burrata and focaccia for Hong Kong delivery via SF Express and Lalamove. Source the fresh peppers and other pantry ingredients separately.