Neapolitan Stuffed Peppers (Nonna Flora's Recipe)

~My Nonna Flora with my Dad  in the front, he can probably smell the peppers cooking!

This is my family's recipe, the same peppers my Father's Mother, my Nonna Flora Casolaro, used to make for him when he was growing up in Naples, Italy. These stuffed peppers are quintessentially Italian: simple but  good and you find yourself asking, how can such simple ingredients taste so good? Well..... it is just that in fact.......sticking to simple but good ingredients--at their peak-- and then allowing the ingredients to sing for themselves. I would say these peppers are singing a scene from the Neapolitan Opera Buffa La Serva Padrona!

Ingredients
4 Yellow or Red Sweet Bell Peppers
1 egg beaten
4 thin slices of Prosciutto chopped into bits
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs for filling & a little more to sprinkle on top
4 whole basil leaves
olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Clean peppers, cut off tops, and scoop out seeds and ribs using a spoon leaving the peppers whole. Set tops aside.
Mix all the above ingredients (except the basil) adding enough oil to moisten. You want a light filling not mushy and compact.
Line the peppers up on a lightly olive oiled pan and drizzle some oil in each pepper.
Stuff each pepper without compacting tightly, add a whole basil leaf to each one pressing down inside the filling, sprinkle a few more crumbs on top and drizzle on more olive oil. Replace the lids.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Stuffed Steamed Artichokes

My Daddy: Andrea Casolaro 💓

This is my Dad's, Andrea Casolaro, recipe. Artichoke season is March – May. You will want large ones (for stuffing) with tight leaves and rather heavy for their size with a deep green color. The artichoke should squeak when you rub the leaves together. So now you can look like a real professional on your next artichoke shopping trip!
Ingredients
4 large artichokes
Ingredients
4 large fresh artichokes or 6 medium (freshness test: squeaky and heavy)
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
2 lemons (the zest of one and the juice of both)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic - finely minced or grated
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Preparing the Artichokes:
First remove most of the tough outer leaves. You will think that there are not much left but don't worry there will be plenty. Here is a picture of how my Dad's looked after he removed the outer leaves.

Next, chop off the bottom of the stem leaving just enough for it to be able to stand up in a pot. Now chop off the top of the very artichoke. Open up the leaves and make room for the stuffing then place in a bowl with lemon juice and water.

Make the Stuffing:
Mix all of the dry ingredients with the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil. Stuff this into the middle of each and in between the leaves of each artichoke.
Steaming the Artichokes:
Now place a few inches of water, maybe 2-3, in pot. Add the lemon juice and drizzle some olive oil in. Bring this just to a boil and do not allow it to evaporate. Place the artichokes in making sure they are standing up and kind of snug and put the lid on. Lower it to a simmer and steam them for an hour. They will be tender when they are finished.

To Eat: You place a leaf in your mouth with the pointy end out and scrape the "meat" off with your teeth. Next, you eat the stuffing, avoiding the choke. Now cut off the choke and eat the best part, the heart! It's not as hard as it seems. The choke looks kind of hairy and you will know that it's not edible.
Wine & Artichoke Pairing Note: Wine is very hard to pair with artichokes because the artichokes are so over bearing in flavor but beer or a simple sparkling white wine go well.