Tunisian Stuffed Peppers

🥘 Ingredients

• Tunisian Spice Blend
  1 tbsp
• bell pepper
  2 unit
• black pepper
• butter
  2 tbsp
• chickpeas
  1 unit
• dried apricots
  1 oz
• feta cheese
  ½ cup
• jasmine rice
  ½ cup
• olive oil
• paper
• salt
• scallions
  2 unit
• sour cream
  4 tbsp

🍳 Cookware

• small
• small
• baking
• strainer
• large

1. 

   1

   Adjust rack to middle position, preheat oven to 425 degrees, and wash and dry all produce. Halve bell pepper lengthwise and remove seeds. Trim and thinly slice scallions , separating whites from greens. Roughly chop dried apricots if necessary. In a small bowl, combine sour cream , ¼ tsp of Tunisian Spice Blend (½ tsp for 4 servings; you'll use more in step 2), and salt . Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until the spiced crema reaches a drizzling consistency.

   bell pepper: 2 unit, scallions: 2 unit, dried apricots: 1 oz, sour cream: 4 tbsp, Tunisian Spice Blend: 1 tbsp, salt
2. 

   2

   In a small pot, combine jasmine rice , apricots, ¾ cup water, half the remaining Tunisian Spice, and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, ⏱️ 15-18 minutes , and keep covered off heat until ready to use.

   jasmine rice: ½ cup
3. 

   3

   Place bell pepper halves on a baking sheet, cut sides up, and drizzle halved each with olive oil ; rub to coat. Season generously with salt and black pepper , then roast on middle rack until slightly softened, ⏱️ 15-20 minutes . Remove from oven to cool slightly.

   olive oil, black pepper
4. 

   4

   Drain and rinse chickpeas in a strainer , then pat as dry as possible with paper towels. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas, scallion whites, the remaining Tunisian Spice, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are lightly browned, ⏱️ 3-4 minutes . It is natural for the chickpeas to rest; turn off heat.

   chickpeas: 1 unit, paper
5. 

   5

   Have good rest. Fluff rice with a fork. Stir the rice into the pan with chickpeas along with ¾ of feta cheese and butter (3 tbsp for 4 servings). Season generously with salt. Stuff each bell pepper half with as much filling as will fit and return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until stuffed peppers are tender, ⏱️ 5-7 minutes . Cover the pan with the remaining filling to keep warm.

   feta cheese: ½ cup, butter: 2 tbsp
6. 

   6

   Divide the remaining filling between plates; top with baked stuffed peppers. Drizzle with the spiced crema and finish with scallion greens and the remaining feta cheese. Serve.