I was surprised to see locally grown green peppers–(they are lighter and thinly fleshed)–in the market yesterday, nudging small white peaches on a new stall.
Everything is so late this year.
I remembered a recipe I used to do years ago from Antonio Carluccio’s Vegetables book. Very Italian–simple and different.
The peppers are cooked whole in olive oil. They collapse, charring nicely and are finished in a quickly cooked tomato sauce.
If these particular peppers are unavailable use thicker fleshed ones–deseeded and cut into largish pieces.
500gm/1lb green peppers–tops and seeds removed
6 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves–chopped
14oz/400gm tin of tomatoes–drained of their juice and roughly chopped (fresh sun -ripe tomatoes, skinned and seeded would be good too)
salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a deepish pan.
When the oil is hot carefully slide in the peppers–you may have to do this in two batches.
Turn them as they collapse and brown, for about 5 minutes–they should be tender.
Set them aside and spoon off four tablespoons of the oil–(I used this oil for sautéing later).
Slip the garlic into the oil.
When it starts to colour, mix in the chopped tomatoes.
Cook these over a high heat for five minutes to form a sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the peppers and cook on for another five minutes.
We ate these for supper last night served on lightly sautéed (in the excess oil) slices of leftover chickpea “bread” .
A recipe remembered and reclaimed.
Robin Ellis 