Pastrami Stuffed Mushrooms

I won't lie--these mushrooms are a lot of work. They require cutting vegetables into very small pieces. However, they are a crowd favorite, and the good news is that you can make them the day before. I always use a warming dish because they are best served warm. Do not use store-bought breadcrumbs, as they make the filling too dense. A trick I use is to freeze a loaf of bread, then grate it with a hand grater. Or you could use a food processor, but why go through the hassle?

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped small
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
dash cayenne pepper (adjust for taste, but be very careful)
mushroom stems, chopped small
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped small
2 oz. pastrami, chopped small
2 oz. white wine
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp fresh oregano (I use a dash of dry if I can't find fresh)
salt
pepper
12-16 oz. white mushrooms, stems removed and reserved

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, mushroom stems, red bell pepper, and pastrami. Cook over medium-low heat until onions golden.

2. Add wine. Cook 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat.

3. Add 1 cup of the breadcrumbs, the herbs, salt, and pepper. Allow to cool.

4. Stuff mushroom caps with filling, packing in as much as possible. Dip into remaining breadcrumbs. Arrange the mushroom caps tightly in a 9"x9" greased pan. (tightly so they won't tip over)

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until brown on top. They can also be made a day ahead of time (maybe more though I've never tried it). Just cover pan with foil and put into refrigerator. Don't forget you'll need to cook a few extra minutes because it will be cold.