Shared by Ron Levy-Arie
Chushki Burek (Roasted Peppers Stuffed with Cheese)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; 12 to 16 stuffed peppers, depending on varietyTime: 1h 45min
Chushki Burek (Roasted Peppers Stuffed with Cheese)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings; 12 to 16 stuffed peppers, depending on varietyTime: 1h 45minFamily Journey
Plovdiv, Bulgaria and Izmir, Turkey
Tel Aviv
This recipe is featured in our cookbook "The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long." For more holiday recipes from around the world, get your copy!
Read more about Ron Levy Arie's family in "The Bulgarian Grandmother With the Golden Touch" and try his recipes for handrajo (eggplant, onion, and tomato pastry), dunce pie (egg and cheese casserole), and almodrote (roasted eggplant and kashkaval pie).
Ron prefers to use chuska peppers (Bulgarian sweet peppers) which are long, red sweet peppers that have a short season and the most intense taste. They are much more delicate (perfect for roasted pepper salad). If you can’t find the chuska peppers, or it’s not the season, you can use an alternative small sweet pepper like the pimento or the red cubanelle. Regular red bell peppers will also work for this dish, just use the smallest that you can find.
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 small sweet red peppers
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled sheep's-milk cheese packed in brine, such as Bulgarian cheese or feta (Valbreso is a good choice)
- ⅓ cup farmer’s cheese or cream cheese
- ½ cup kashkaval or kasseri cheese (use the small holes of a box grater)
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- Pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- About 1 cup all-purpose flour for coating
- Canola oil for shallow-frying
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove
Preparation
Step 1
Roast the peppers: Preheat the broiler. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil 2 to 3 inches from the heating element, turning them occasionally, until wrinkled and charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the broiler, transfer to a bowl, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and let cool.
Step 2
When the peppers are completely cool, peel away the skins as delicately as possible. Cut a vertical slit in each pepper and remove the core and seeds, keeping the peppers intact, ideally with the stems. (Don't be tempted to rinse the peppers as you peel them, which would wash away flavorful juices.)
Step 3
Put the sheep's-milk cheese, farmer's cheese, kashkaval, ricotta, and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl and stir to blend thoroughly.
Step 4
Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Put a mound of flour on a plate. Line another plate or small tray with paper towels.
Step 5
Gently coat one pepper on all sides with flour, shaking off any excess. Place a heaping teaspoon (or two, depending on the size of your pepper) of filling into the pepper and very gently wrap the pepper around it to close. Generously flour the pepper again and place on a plate or wire rack. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
Step 6
Fill a large deep skillet or wide saucepan with ¼ inch of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the butter and garlic clove. When the garlic begins to sizzle, dip one of the stuffed peppers in the beaten eggs, gently turning to coat on all sides, and carefully place it in the hot oil. Repeat with a few more stuffed peppers, being careful not to overcrowd the pan; you'll probably need to cook the peppers in two or more batches. Reduce the heat to medium; the peppers should sizzle and the oil should form small bubbles around them. Turn the peppers gently after 2 minutes, and then again after 2 more minutes. After another 2 minutes, so the peppers have fried on three sides, for a total of 6 minutes, carefully remove them from the pan and place on the plate lined with paper towels.
Step 7
Serve the peppers immediately, while the coating is still crisp.
