STEP BY STEP
Successful Stuffing
For mushroom caps that are roomy enough to accommodate the filling, it's best to remove the stems with your fingers rather than a paring knife. For mess-free stuffing, use a zipper-lock storage bag, with one corner snipped off, to neatly squeeze the filling into each mushroom.
Makes 24 large stuffed mushrooms
Look for unseasoned packaged Italian cheese blend that contains both provolone and Romano cheeses.
Topping | |
| 1 | slice hearty white sandwich bread , quartered |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves |
| 2 | garlic cloves, minced |
| 2 | tablespoons olive oil |
Mushrooms | |
| 24 | large mushrooms , stems removed |
| 1/4 | cup olive oil |
| 1 | recipe stuffing (see related recipes) |
Stuffing | |
| 1/2 | cup sliced pepperoni , chopped fine |
| 1/2 | cup shredded Italian cheese blend |
| 4 | ounces cream cheese , softened |
| 1 | tablespoon tomato paste |
| 2 | garlic cloves, minced |
| 1 | teaspoon dried oregano |
| 1/4 | teaspoon Ground black pepper |
1. For the topping: Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs. Mix parsley, garlic, and oil in bowl. Stir crumbs into oil mixture to coat. Set aside.
2. For the stuffing: Reserve 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoni. Process remaining pepperoni and all other ingredients in food processor until smooth. Transfer to zipper-lock plastic bag until ready to use.
3. For the mushrooms: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and set wire rack inside baking sheet. Toss mushrooms with oil, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Arrange mushrooms gill side up on rack and roast until juices are released, about 20 minutes. Turn caps over and roast until mushrooms are well browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove baking sheet from oven. Flip roasted mushrooms gill side up and cool slightly. Snip off one corner of zipper-lock bag of stuffing, then fill mushrooms. Press each cap (stuffing side down) into bread-crumb topping to coat, sprinkle with reserved pepperoni, and arrange (topping side up) on rack. Bake until filling is hot and topping is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead: The mushrooms can be roasted and stuffed up to 3 days in advance, but don't top them with bread crumbs until you're ready to heat and serve the mushrooms. Store stuffed mushrooms, stuffing side up, on a paper towel-lined plate in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap. The bread-crumb topping can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days.