Okay – this one was good, if I do say so, m’self!

Peppers stuffed with ground beef, onion, the bell pepper that I cut off the top, a bit of Italian seasoning and salt and pepper — and the secret ingredient?!?  :::drum roll, please:::

A half-ball of burrata.   Burrata, you say?!?  What is burrata?!?

Classified as a “spun” or “pulled curd” cheese, burrata’s uniqueness lies in the buttery texture of the cheese’s center: “Burro” means butter in Italian.

The outside of these decadent balls is a wrapped skin made from stretched sheets of mozzarella paste. The mozzarella paste is stretched into rectangles

3 x 5-inches and air is blown into it to make a sac.This gives the exterior a soft, springy texture. The soft, buttery center is made from fresh cream and

shredded pieces of mozzarella called stracciatella. The sac is then tied with a blade of grass and has the shape of a chubby pear.. When you bite or cut

into burrata, the cream oozes out irresistibly. It is as though you are tasting three different textures and flavors all at once – the sweetness of the cream, the

shedded mozzarella with a touch of acidity, and the more complex and cheesy outer layer.

It is every bit as decadent as it sounds – and oh, so good!

I put some of the raw beef mixture in the pepper, then the burrata, then more beef and a drizzle of sauce on top.  Into a 375° over – covered – for about an hour.  And then served with papardelle pasta and more of Victor’s homemade sauce.

It was really good.