Sweet Pepper Rice Bites
Mini sweet peppers roasted until tender and filled with a sweet-savory rice studded with pine nuts and raisins make a colorful platter perfect for sharing.
Mini peppers turn a simple rice filling into bite-sized portions that disappear fast at any gathering. A quick toast of the pine nuts before mixing brings out a nutty depth that balances the sweetness of the raisins. Arrange the roasted halves on a platter and let guests help themselves with their fingers.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step donePreheat the oven to 400F and set a rack in the center of the oven.
Halve the mini sweet peppers lengthwise and remove the small cluster of seeds from each half, then arrange cut side up on a baking sheet.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes, tossing often, until golden, then tip onto a plate.
In a bowl, combine the cooked rice, crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts, chopped golden raisins, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spoon the rice mixture into the pepper halves, mounding it slightly, and drizzle the tops with a little more olive oil.
Roast for 18 to 20 minutes, until the peppers soften and the edges begin to char lightly.
Scatter torn mint leaves over the platter just before serving warm or at room temperature.
Kitchen note
Swap dried cranberries for the raisins if you like more tartness, and toast extra pine nuts to sprinkle on top for crunch right before serving.
