Zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes and bell peppers take the stage in Italy’s August cuisine. Today for lunch, roasted peppers with garlic, basil, capers and toasty bread crumbs was our side dish.
And here’s how to make this easy, tasty dish for four:
Roasted Peppers with Capers
Ingredients:
4 red and/or yellow bell peppers
about 1/4 – 1/2 c. grated bread crumbs
capers, 1 T (if possible, those Sicilian salted ones)
basil, a generous bunch
salt, q b. (“quanto basta” or “as much as you need”)
Extra virgin olive oil, q.b.
garlic, 3 cloves (or more)
Wash peppers then slice into rounds:
Finely dice 3 garlic cloves and then mix into olive oil, whisking lightly with fork:
After pouring olive oil mixture into baking dish, add sliced peppers and sprinkle with salt. Gently turn peppers to coat all with olive oil/garlic emulsion.
Chop basil (and I even use the seeds of the flower) and stir into peppers:
Bake about thirty minutes at about 350 F until peppers are tender. Add bread crumbs and capers and adjust salt if needed then return to oven at higher heat for about ten more minutes.
Serve warm as a side dish. Tasty with roasted pork, chicken or just a selection of savory cheeses as a main dish.
Buon appetito!
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