My family and I have a chain Italian restaurant that we really like going to and they have an appetizer that is my absolute favorite. In fact, there have been times where I have thought about ordering 2 of them and eating just that for my meal (they aren’t that big, just 6 little peppers in each order.) I love it so much that I decided I wanted to try & recreate it at home, with my own little spin. We’ll still continue going there to eat but it’s nice to make this appetizer at home anytime we want it.
This recipe is called Feta & Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppadew Peppers and it’s actually very easy to make. While I don’t believe the original has feta cheese, we’re huge fans of feta in our house and wanted to see how it tasted when we added Nikos Feta cheese to the recipe. Let me tell you, it was nothing short of delicious! Feta cheese is delicious on Mediterranean food, salads, sandwiches, hummus, baked potatoes…you name it!
If you’ve never seen peppadew peppers , you’re not alone. I never had before I had this dish so you can buy them on Amazon or sometimes you can find them in the salad bar/olive bar of your local health food store (which is where I got mine this time but I am buying a couple of jars on Amazon to have on hand). They have a sweetness to them (moreso the red ones than the orange ones) and pair very nicely with cheese and balsamic glaze.
For this recipe, you mix 4 oz herb goat cheese, 1/4 cup Nikos® feta cheese, bread crumbs (I didn’t measure these but it was less than 1/8 cup), peppadew peppers and balsamic glaze. I’ve tried making my own balsamic glaze by reducing balsamic vinegar, adding sugar and other ways I’ve read about online but it never came out quite right. We were just using regular balsamic vinegar (which is yummy!) but at the same health food store I found the Peppadew peppers, I also found a balsamic glaze. It’s SO good!
I love that Nikos® feta cheese comes in different flavors & varieties so it’s great to use in so many things. Choose from Traditional, Fat Free, Mediterranean, Tomato Basil or Peppercorn feta. The full line of Mediterranean-style feta cheeses are certified Halal and made with rBGH-free milk.
And even more great news…Nikos® Feta is hosting a giveaway this June/July! One lucky contestant will win a seven-day, six-night trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, during the 2015 Hawaii Food & Wine Festival (August 29 – September 13, 2015). The lucky winner will win roundtrip airfare for Grand Prize Winner & guest from the airport nearest the Grand Prize Winner’s residence to Honolulu, Hawaii where the winner will receive hotel accommodations for 6 nights/7 days (double room occupancy) and receive $500 USD in spending money for the Grand Prize Winner! The approximate retail value of this great prize is $3,500! Head on over to enter now! You can also enter on Facebook, just head on over to Nikos Feta Facebook page and click on the “Hawaii Trip” tab (desktop only) between June 1 – July 31, 2015, and fill out the entry form.
For more recipes & ideas on where you can use Nikos Feta Cheese, you can follow them on Pinterest, Instagram & Facebook. You’ll love all the great pictures & recipes they share, I know I do!
Ingredients
- 16 Peppadew Peppers
- 4 oz. herb goat cheese
- 1/4 c. Nikos Traditional Feta Cheese
- Bread Crumbs (enough to cover the tops of the cheese in the peppers, approx. 1/8 cup)
- Balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°. Line cookie sheet with foil and set aside.
- Combine goat cheese & feta cheese in a bowl.
- Since peppers are shipped in oil, take them out of the jar, rinse them off & carefully remove any seeds that are inside.
- Using your fingers (I find this to be the easiest way), stuff each of the peppadew peppers until the cheese is poking a little bit out of the top and place on the cookie sheet.
- When all of the peppers are stuffed, top each with enough bread crumbs to cover the cheese that is poking out of the peppers.
- Place in oven for about 6 minutes (please remember that all ovens are different and that this is what worked in mine. You know your oven better than I do :))
- After baking for 6 minutes, I then put them under the broiler for 1 minute on low, to get the bread crumbs a little crunchy.
- Serve with balsamic glaze.
This looks SO good. I love both feta and goat cheese. These are the perfect appetizer for a summer party.
Thank you, Dinah! They are so delicious!
These look delicious! Feta cheese is where its at! I’m going to look for these peppadew peppers now at the grocer’s salad bar. Thank you for sharing such a sweet dish.
Thank you, Joann! I’ve found them at Sprout’s 🙂
Thank you for sharing at the #homematters linky party this week. I hope you will be back this week to share again! Rhonda
Our Aldi’s had peppadews over the holidays. They were on the reduced rack and I bought all they had for less than half the original price. Score!
The cashiers think I’m crazy.
Oh wow! That is amazing! I tried to buy some this past weekend at the place I usually get them at but they only had the orange ones & I don’t think those have the same flavors. I’m going to look again this weekend 🙂