Stuffed Peppers in Merlot Tomato Sauce with Pasta

Stuffed Peppers in Merlot Tomato Sauce with Pasta

by Christine Adams
The Wine Dive recommends Simply Naked Red Blend to be paired with this dish.

For the Peppers:

4 large sweet bell peppers

1 1/2 cups cooked rice 

1 pound ground beef, 80% is perfect

1 sweet Italian sweet sausage link, casing removed

1 chopped onion

2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

1 Tablespoon dry oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

10 grinds black pepper

For the Sauce:

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1 chopped onion

2 cans ground peeled tomatoes

1 cup Merlot

Make the Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, saute the onion and minced garlic in olive oil, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine. Simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.

Make the Peppers: 

In a large fry pan, brown the ground beef, sausage, onion, and chopped garlic. Add the oregano, salt and pepper. Add the rice and mix. Add 2 -3 ladles of the sauce, mix well, adding enough sauce to make it wet, but not soupy.

Remove tops of the peppers and set aside. Remove the seeds and membrane. Stuff the peppers with meat mixture, fill to the top and place in a baking dish, standing up. Top each pepper with the sauce and place the pepper caps on top. Cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.