Stuffed peppers with lamb and eggplant

Ingredients:

• 450 g firm eggplants with thick skin, cut into 1 cm cubes.
• 8 small green bell peppers
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
• 4 anchovy fillets in oil
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves coarsely chopped
• 2 medium starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes.
• 2 tomatoes, remove seeds and chop the pulp
• 1 small onion, chopped
• A couple of handfuls of good quality pitted green olives, chopped
• 450 g cooked lamb, cut into 1 cm cubes.
• 150 g fontina or gruyere cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes.
• Chicken broth or water

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Drain the eggplants in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let them drain for 30 minutes, then rinse, dry, and slice.
3. Cut the top third of the pepper horizontally, remove the seeds, and set aside the tops. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place the peppers in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, toss, and place upright in an oiled baking dish.
4. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies, if using, and let them dissolve in the olive oil. Add the garlic and rosemary and stir for 1-2 minutes.
5. Transfer the oil mixture to a bowl and add the eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, olives, lamb, and cheese. Stir to distribute evenly and fill the peppers with the filling. Cover the tops and bake for 1 hour. Store the finished peppers in the refrigerator.
6. Reheat in a hot oven, adding a little chicken broth or water to the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Serve 2 peppers per serving.