The countdown is on — there are two weeks to All Hallow’s Eve. To think, so much work goes into one spooktacular evening of scaring all those little ghosts and goblins.
Why not try to extend the ghostly celebrations with fun Halloween themed food leading up to the main event? We can start with an easy recipe for pepper brain monsters.
“Let’s give them pumpkin to talk about.” – Unknown
A few useful tips when prepping this ghoulish dish: If you can, buy orange peppers that stand up on their own. If not, don’t fret, all you have to do is cut the bottoms to get a flat surface. If you can buy them with the stalk on the top, double bonus, then it will really be a pumpkin look-a-like.
When carving the faces, be adventurous. I prefer the traditional look but you can giver’. Try to keep your carving as close as you can to the top. Reason being, the pepper may sink a little when it bakes.
Keep the top of the pepper you cut off. Well, not that you absolutely need it but it will look pretty cool. Otherwise it will just look like gushing brains falling out.
Well, I suppose that’s kinda of what we’re going for isn’t is. Yuck.
Ok, let’s do this! Boil your pasta as you normally would and follow the pasta directions. As your pasta boils, cut the tops of the peppers, hollow it out and carve your pumpkin faces into the orange pepper. Place your pepper pumpkins on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the oven at 420 for about 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them.
Place your drained pasta back in the pot, and your marinara sauce to the pasta and heat on a low temp.
When the pepper pumpkins are done, take them out and stuff them with the pasta sauce. It’s probably best to plate it first, you want the pasta to hang out over the pepper to make it grossly appealing.
“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.” – Federico Fellini
Recipes, like this one, are so versatile. If you don’t want to use a wheat pasta, think about other tasty options like zucchini noodles or rice noodles. Zucchini noodles would look gross, in a cool rotting brains kind of way with a pesto sauce. I choose a black pasta (thanks Mom) which adds to the Halloween colour theme. Orange of the pumpkin, black for rotting brains and marinara sauce for blood. We’ll probably never look at peppers and pasta the same way again after this.
Although, I took easy street with a simple marinara sauce, you can up your sauce game by roasting an assortment of veggies to add to the sauce. Actually, that’s probably a good idea for picky kiddos. The adult way of “tricking” them into eating veggies with the “treat” of a super fun and spooky looking Halloween themed dinner.
Geesh! Good one Sulley, good one. I’ll see myself to the door.
“How do you mend a broken jack-o-lantern? With a pumpkin patch.”- Unknown
All bad jokes aside, this is a fun recipe for all ages leading up to Halloween. Come on foodie friends, you’re never too old for a fun themed Halloween night. If you plan on doing a pumpkin carving night, why not go full circle with a themed pumpkin pasta and carving night?
“Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it’s about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves.” – Elvis Duran
This recipe is certainly a Halloween crowd pleaser and definitely fit to eat. Wherever your taste buds lead you this Halloween, stay safe and have loads of fun with food.
If you’re looking for a few more ideas, check these out as delicious recipes are never one and done. There’s The devil’s in the details: https://www.thetelegram.com/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/erin-sulley-the-devils-in-the-details-365585/ Or how about Roasted pumpkin seeds: https://www.thetelegram.com/lifestyles/erin-sulley-pumpkin-bonus-roasted-seeds-367082/
Erin Sulley is a self-confessed foodie who lives in Mount Pearl. Email [email protected] Twitter: @ErinSulley Instagram: @erinsulley
