Air Fryer Cheesy stuffed peppers

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers

4 tbsp olive oil

250g microwave brown rice

120g cream cheese

1 tbsp tomato purée/tomato paste

4 pork sausages

100g cheddar

200g fresh spinach

30g almond flakes

1 clove garlic

15g fresh parsley

1 lemon

Method:

1. Preheat the air fryer: preheat the air fryer to 200C.

2. Prep the peppers: cut 3 bell peppers in half lengthways and scoop out all the seeds from their centres. Rub the peppers with 4 tbsp of olive oil on the board and season with salt.

3. Assemble the filling: crumble 250g of cooked brown rice into a large mixing bowl. Add 120g of cream cheese and 1 tbsp of tomato paste, then coarsely grate in 25g of the cheddar - we will use the rest later. Squeeze in the meat from the casings of 4 sausages.

4. Mix it up: season with salt and pepper, then fold everything together, ensuring the sausage meat breaks up and is well dispersed through the mix.

5. Fill the peppers: divide the mix between the oiled pepper cups - there is no need to press and compact the mixture into the peppers.

6. Fry: pop the pepper halves in the draw of the air fryer, filling side up, and cook for 17-20 minutes until golden in places and piping hot throughout. When cut into, the sausage shouldn’t be pink. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.

7. Get the spinach ready: add 200g of spinach to another mixing bowl and cover with cling film.

8. Cook the spinach: microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes, until darkened and wilted.

9. Assemble the pesto: once the spinach is ready, add 30g of almond flakes, 1 peeled garlic clove and 15g of parsley to the bowl. Coarsely grate in the remaining 75g of cheddar, then finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon, and squeeze in its juice.

10. Blend it up: blitz everything together with a hand blender, until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you are still waiting for the peppers, now would be a great time to crack on with a bit of washing up.

11. Serve: divide the pesto between plates and spread it out to form discs. Top with 3 pepper halves per portion and tuck in.