If you're looking for a flavorful and versatile appetizer that will tantalize your taste buds, Italian pepper balls are the perfect choice. These crispy and juicy bites are made with a combination of ground beef, Italian sausage, and a blend of spices, all wrapped in a crispy coating. Whether you serve them as a party snack, a game-day treat, or a side dish to your favorite Italian meal, Italian pepper balls are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
ITALIAN FRYING PEPPERS - 3 DELICIOUS WAYS TO COOK
Steps:
- Start by rinsing peppers under cold water.
- If you decide to cook them whole simply skip to the next step. Otherwise using a small sharp knife cut of the top with the stem. Remove the seeds. You can speed up cleaning process by cutting the top part a quarter of an inch lower from the stem. This helps remove the seeds faster.Rinse peppers again in cold water to remove any remaining seeds.
- In a large pan add generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves and peperoncino. Cook for 2-3 minutes. At this point you can add a couple of anchovies (optional) and stir until dissolved.
- Add Italian frying peppers (whole or previously deseeded).
- Cook on high heat for a few minutes then reduce to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until tender.
- Peppers should release enough juice while in the pan but feel free to add some water if the pan is getting too dry.
- Once peppers are cooked add basil leaves, a splash of vinegar (see notes) and salt to taste. Give another good stir. Let vinegar evaporate and turn the heat off.
- Serve with freshly ground black pepper or top them with crumbled feta cheese.
ITALIAN MEATBALLS AND PEPPERS BY PAM®
This slow cooker recipe combines flavored tomatoes, Italian-style meatballs and pepper strips. You can just walk away until it's time to cook the pasta.
Provided by Pam Cooking Spray
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips
Time 4h15m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Spray inside of large slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, meatballs and pepper strips in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 4 hours or until meatballs are hot and peppers are tender.
- Meanwhile, cook penne according to package directions. Drain. Stir meatball mixture to mix well. Serve sauce and meatballs over pasta; top with cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 375.7 calories, Carbohydrate 52.3 g, Cholesterol 53.3 mg, Fat 10.4 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 839.8 mg, Sugar 12.5 g
GREAT-GRANDMA'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS
My great-grandmother started this easy meatball recipe with our family. We use ground beef and turkey for these meatballs, and the flavor's so good, you won't miss the extra calories. -Audrey Colantino, Winchester, Massachusetts
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, seasonings and onion mixture. Add turkey and beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls., Place meatballs on a rack coated with cooking spray in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until lightly browned and cooked through, 18-22 minutes. If desired, serve with pasta and pasta sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 271 calories, Fat 13g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 125mg cholesterol, Sodium 569mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
ITALIAN MEATBALLS
Grandma "Sini" would make these meatballs for our traditional spaghetti dinner every Sunday. They freeze well, so bake an extra batch when time allows. Then combine with your favorite homemade or purchased sauce and serve over pasta.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 40m
Yield 6-8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Soak bread in milk for 10 minutes; drain and squeeze bread. In a blender in food processor, combine the bread, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, oil, salt, pepper and allspice; cover and process until smooth., In a large bowl, combine the beef and sausage. Add bread mixture; mix well. Shape into 2-in. balls. Place on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. , Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs are no longer pink; drain. In a large saucepan, heat marinara sauce; add the meatballs and heat through. , Serve over pasta.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 434 calories, Fat 25g fat (10g saturated fat), Cholesterol 137mg cholesterol, Sodium 1161mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 31g protein.
ARANCINI (ITALIAN RICE BALLS)
Make and share this Arancini (Italian Rice Balls) recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Kittencalrecipezazz
Categories White Rice
Time 24m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a bowl lightly beat 2 eggs.
- Stir in cooked rice, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, garlic (if using) parsley, seasoned salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll into 1-1/2-inch balls.
- Press a cheese cube into each ball then reshape rice balls.
- Place the flour into a small bowl.
- Whisk 2 eggs in a small bowl.
- Place the dry breadcrumbs in a small bowl.
- Dip each ball into flour, then into the egg and then lastly into the breadcrumbs.
- Heat oil to 375 degrees, then fry rice balls until golden brown (about 4 minutes).
- Drain on paper towels.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 603.3, Fat 31.3, SaturatedFat 17.4, Cholesterol 258.1, Sodium 794.3, Carbohydrate 54.8, Fiber 1.8, Sugar 2.3, Protein 24.1
ITALIAN PEPPER BALLS
These keep well and also freeze well. Rum or whisky works well in place of the brandy.
Provided by Diane
Categories Italian Recipes
Yield 75
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Melt shortening and cool. Add in white sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, black pepper, ground cloves, allspice and ground cinnamon. Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix well. Stir in milk, 1 ounce brandy, rum or whisky and chopped nuts.
- Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 4-8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Break off little pieces of dough and roll into small balls, about 3/4 inch in diameter. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. DO NOT overbake. Remove from pan and roll in glaze.
- To Make Glaze: Combine 1/3 cup of butter, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 5 tablespoons cocoa, and 2 ounces of brandy, rum or whisky. Mix until smooth. Roll cooled cookies in glaze and place on waxed paper to dry.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 76.9 calories, Carbohydrate 9.8 g, Cholesterol 2.4 mg, Fat 3.6 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 1.1 g, SaturatedFat 1.2 g, Sodium 22.5 mg, Sugar 4 g
Tips:
- To make the pepper balls more flavorful, use a variety of peppers, such as red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and poblano peppers.
- If you don't have any bread crumbs, you can use crushed crackers or tortilla chips instead.
- Be careful not to overcook the pepper balls, or they will become dry and tough.
- Serve the pepper balls with your favorite dipping sauce, such as marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or blue cheese dressing.
- Pepper balls can be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven or microwave.
Conclusion:
Italian pepper balls are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer that is perfect for any occasion. With a few simple ingredients, you can create a dish that is both flavorful and visually appealing. So next time you're looking for a crowd-pleasing snack or appetizer, give Italian pepper balls a try!
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