Peperoni Ripieni di Riso

This is a dish of thrift, and I mean this as praise. Roman housewives invented it to stretch a meal, to turn vegetables into something more substantial without spending money on meat. The pepper becomes the pot, the plate, and part of the filling all at once.

The rice goes in raw. This alarms American cooks who want to parboil everything, but raw rice absorbs the tomato juices and the moisture released by the peppers as they bake. The grains swell and soften inside the vegetable, taking on its sweetness. Cooked rice turns to mush. Raw rice becomes something tender and distinct.

There is no cheese in this dish. I know this disappoints those who believe Italian cooking requires cheese on everything. The Romans who created this understood that olive oil and tomato provide all the richness needed. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. A shower of Pecorino Romano at the table is acceptable if you must, but taste it first without.