Stuffed Bell Peppers

1. Heat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Par-bake the peppers. Arrange pepper halves cut-side up in the dish. Add a splash of water to the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 cup). Cover tightly with foil and bake for 12 minutes while you make the filling.
3. Start the sauce. In a bowl or saucepan, mix tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire, brown sugar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water. Taste it. You want it bright and a little sweet. Add the second tablespoon of brown sugar only if it tastes too sharp for you.
4. Cook the filling base. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
5. Brown the beef. Add ground beef, 1 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook until browned, breaking it up as you go, 6 to 8 minutes. If there is a lot of grease, drain off most of it.
6. Make it cohesive. Stir in the cooked rice and shredded cheese. Add 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture to the skillet and stir. This is the trick for a filling that stays juicy and tastes like the sauce, not like separate ingredients at a potluck.
7. Stuff the peppers. Pull the peppers from the oven and drain any water in the pan. Spoon filling into each pepper half, gently packing it in.
8. Sauce it like you mean it. Pour the remaining sauce around and lightly over the peppers. You want sauce in the pan so the peppers braise and stay tender.
9. Bake covered, then uncover for crispy edges. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover, top with a little extra cheese, and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until bubbly and the peppers are tender.
10. Rest and finish. Let the peppers rest 5 minutes. Spoon sauce from the pan over the top and finish with parsley if you are feeling fancy.

Matt’s note: Taste the sauce before it hits the oven. That is where the tangy and sweet balance lives. If it tastes flat, add another pinch of salt. If it tastes too sharp, add a little more brown sugar. If it tastes too sweet, add a few extra drops of vinegar.