A simple, rustic, Mediterranean-style starter. Roasting the peppers brings out their natural sweetness. Anchovies are a low food chain fish so they’re a great sustainable way to get your omega-3s in, while also bringing a beautiful depth of flavour to the filling. This recipe makes a great little pre-dinner nibble.
Typical nutritional content (per portion)
4 large red peppers
4 medium tomatoes
8 tinned anchovy fillets, drained
2 cloves garlic
freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil to lightly grease baking tray
To serve:
1 small bunch fresh basil leaves
What you do:
Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and stalk. Blanch the prepared peppers in gently boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Lift out and drain. Put the pepper halves on a lightly oiled roasting tray. Put the tomatoes into the boiling water in the saucepan (off the heat). Leave them for 1 minute, then remove and slip off the skins. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and place two quarters in each pepper half. Chop up anchovy fillets and scatter over the peppers and tomatoes. Peel the garlic cloves, slice them thinly and divide the slices equally among the tomatoes and anchovies. Season with freshly ground pepper and place the tray on a high shelf in a pre-heated oven (180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4) for the peppers to roast for about 30 minutes. Transfer the cooked peppers to a serving dish, with the juices poured over, and garnish with a few scattered basil leaves. Serve with French or Italian bread.
