Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern Peppers

Ingredients:

• About 0.5 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup homemade bread crumbs or Japanese panko
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 7 medium red and orange bell peppers (choose square or rectangular peppers to help them stand up better on a platter)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 firm, medium eggplant, peel half of the skin, cut into 1 cm cubes.
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 small fresh red chilli, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1cm cubes.
• 3 firm ripe tomatoes, cut into pieces
• 2 cups tomato sauce or passata

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C.
2. In a small skillet, heat about 1/4 cup olive oil with the butter. Once it foams, add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and toss until completely coated. Fry until lightly golden, then remove from heat and let cool. Combine the cooled breadcrumbs with the cheese and parsley.
3. Cut the tops off 6 peppers and set aside, then remove the seeds. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a Jack-o'-lantern face into each pepper. Stand the peppers upright, and if they're unsteady, trim the bottoms a bit to make them flatter. Sprinkle the insides of the peppers with salt and black pepper, turn them over, and place them on a baking sheet, tops included. Seed the remaining peppers, chop them, and set aside.
4. Salt the eggplants and place them in a sieve or on a towel for 15 minutes to remove excess liquid.
5. Spray the peppers with a little cooking spray and bake until the edges are crispy-tender, 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
6. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the reserved bell pepper, thyme, chili, eggplant, onion, and zucchini, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 12-15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir for another minute, and remove from heat.
7. Mix the breadcrumbs with the vegetables and taste. Pour the tomato sauce into the casserole dish. Stuff the peppers, slightly overfilling them, and replace the tops. Place the peppers in the sauced dish. Cool and refrigerate.
8. To serve, preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and bake until peppers are heated through, 30 to 35 minutes.