Baked peppers with couscous and feta on a bed of baked vegetables
4 servings
90 minutes
Baked pepper with couscous and feta on a bed of roasted vegetables is a refined dish of Italian cuisine that combines vibrant flavors and textures. The sweetness of the roasted pepper harmonizes with the tenderness of couscous infused with the aroma of fresh herbs and garlic, while the salty feta adds a touch of piquancy. The roasted vegetables—eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and red onion—create an ideal base, enriching the dish's flavor with natural sweetness and light caramelization. Coriander seeds and pine nuts add a special depth to the aroma. This dish is perfect for both family dinners and festive gatherings, impressing guests with its harmony of flavors and aesthetic presentation. Serving it with arugula and balsamic vinegar adds freshness, completing this gastronomic masterpiece.
1
Cut the zucchini and eggplant into cubes about 1 cm. The size of the zucchini and eggplant should be roughly the same.
- Eggplants: 0.5 piece
- Zucchini: 0.5 piece
2
Cut the tomato and 0.5 head of red onion (can be replaced with a shallot) into large slices.
- Baku tomatoes: 1 piece
- Red onion: 1 piece
3
Divide the garlic into cloves. Clean 2 cloves and set them aside. Do not clean the remaining ones.
- Garlic: 0.5 head
4
Separate the thyme leaves from the stems (if fresh is not available, you can use about 1 teaspoon of dried).
- Fresh thyme: 1 bunch
5
Place the vegetables in a baking dish along with unpeeled garlic cloves and crushed coriander seeds.
- Eggplants: 0.5 piece
- Zucchini: 0.5 piece
- Baku tomatoes: 1 piece
- Red onion: 1 piece
- Garlic: 0.5 head
- Coriander seeds: 1 teaspoon
6
Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper to taste.
- Olive oil: to taste
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
7
Place the dish in the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
8
Heat a dry skillet and roast the pine nuts until golden.
- Pine nuts: 35 g
9
Pour broth or water over the couscous according to the instructions.
- Vegetable broth: 100 ml
10
Finely chop the remaining 0.5 red onion or another shallot and sauté in olive oil until golden.
- Red onion: 1 piece
- Olive oil: to taste
11
Finely chop the remaining two cloves of garlic, parsley, and mint leaves (discard the stems).
- Garlic: 0.5 head
- Parsley: 0.5 bunch
- Fresh mint: 0.5 bunch
12
Remove the pits from the olives and chop them finely.
- Kalamata olives: 35 g
13
Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the white inner parts.
- Fresh yellow pepper: 1 piece
- Fresh red pepper: 1 piece
14
Mash the couscous with a fork and mix it with herbs, pine nuts, and garlic-onion mixture.
- Pine nuts: 35 g
- Parsley: 0.5 bunch
- Fresh mint: 0.5 bunch
15
Add crumbled feta and mix.
- Feta cheese: 100 g
16
Stuff the halves of the pepper with this mixture.
17
Add peppers to the roasted vegetables, cover with foil, and place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 45 minutes.
18
Remove the foil, lightly drizzle the peppers with oil, and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
19
Remove from the oven and, when the temperature drops slightly, mash the roasted garlic into the roasted vegetables.
- Garlic: 0.5 head
20
Serve warm pepper on baked vegetables with fresh arugula leaves (can drizzle with balsamic vinegar).
- Arugula: 50 g
- Balsamic vinegar: to taste