If you know my mom, you’ve definitely devoured a few of these cheesy guys before. They’re not the kind of appetizer that you can count on to make a table look good as people walk in — they’re gone before they make it to the table. But it’s okay because they’re so easy and quick to make that you can have a second batch ready to go.
These are also actually pretty healthy, as far as cheesy apps go. Goat cheese has more vitamins and minerals than cow-milk cheese and it’s also easier to digest because it has less lactose. The coolest fact, though: goats are easier on the environment — they subsist on plants that cows won’t eat, which is why they get put on the job to help to prevent wildfires.
If you’ve never had peppadew peppers, they’re a little sweet and a little spicy and so tasty. They can be a little hard to find (just realized that they’re from South Africa), but they should be near the jarred roasted red peppers. My Whole Foods also has them at the olive bar, which makes it easy to get the exact amount you want.
To make it really easy to stuff the peppers, I fill a plastic baggie with the cheese and snip off the corner to make a little piping bag. The exact amount of cheese you need will depend on the size of the peppers you get so you’ll have to estimate — but as I mentioned above, it’s never a bad idea to double up on the ingredients for these.
Make them the next time you need a quick appetizer and try to tell me they’re not addicting…
p.s. Thanks to my mom for the recipe inspo, and the cool serving dish in the top picture! (It’s from CB2 but I can’t find it online.)
Goat Cheese-Stuffed Peppadews
Ingredients
- 16 peppadew peppers
- 3-4 oz garlic & herb goat cheese
- 1-2 tbsp milk (any kind)
Instructions
- Rinse the peppers and spread them on a dish/paper towel to dry out.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cheese with about 1 tablespoon of milk to make it easier to spread (you may need more or less milk depending on the consistency of your cheese). Fill a small Ziploc with the cheese and push it all to one corner; cut off the corner to make a hole about a 1/4-inch wide. (Or you can use a real piping bag if you're fancy!)
- Arrange the peppers on an oven-safe tray/dish with tall sides so they don't tip over. Fill each one with cheese. Set the broiler to low and broil on the middle rack for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is beginning to bubble. Optional: turn the broiler up to high for about another minute to char them a bit, but make sure you keep an eye on them.
- Serve right away or at room temperature. If you make them ahead, you can also quickly reheat them in the microwave or oven if you're using it for something else.
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