Albanian Stuffed Peppers with Fresh Curd Cheese

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Crisp summer peppers cradle a creamy, herb-flecked Albanian curd cheese filling in this rustic home-style dish from southern Albania. Served as a main course with crusty bread and a simple salad, the peppers let gjize, the country's beloved fresh cheese, take center stage alongside rice, eggs, and garden herbs. Slow-baking coaxes the peppers tender while the cheese sets into a soft, savory custard.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 26 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 7 gSugar
• 18 gProtein
• 520 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 280 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 110 mgVitamin C
• 950 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the peppers

• 6 medium bell peppers, mixed colors if possible
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup water

For the cheese filling

• 2 cups Albanian gjize (or whole-milk ricotta)
• 1 cup cooked short-grain white rice, cooled
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For baking and serving

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup warm vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• Crusty bread and tomato salad, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Slice the tops off the peppers, pull out the seeds and ribs, and trim a thin sliver from the base of each so they stand upright without wobbling.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the gjize, cooked rice, eggs, parsley, mint, green onions, salt, and pepper until evenly blended but still airy.
4. Spoon the cheese mixture into each pepper, packing gently and mounding the filling just above the rim.
5. Arrange the stuffed peppers snugly in the prepared dish, drizzle with the melted butter and olive oil, and pour the stock around them.
6. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes, allowing the peppers to steam and the filling to set.
7. Uncover, baste each pepper with the pan juices, and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until the tops turn pale gold and the peppers are fork-tender.
8. Let the peppers rest for 10 minutes so the filling firms up, then spoon over the pan juices, scatter with parsley, and serve warm with bread and salad.

Cook’s Notes

• Albanian gjize is soft and mildly tangy; whole-milk ricotta or a 70/30 blend of ricotta and drained full-fat cottage cheese makes the closest substitute.
• For a richer, custard-like interior, whisk a tablespoon of heavy cream into the cheese mixture before stuffing.
• A small pinch of grated nutmeg or sweet paprika complements the cheese without overpowering the herbs.
• Pick peppers of similar height so they finish cooking at the same rate; slightly smaller peppers work best because they hold their shape.
• If the filling browns too quickly during the uncovered bake, lay a sheet of parchment loosely over the tops.

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