Roasted Red Capsicums (Bell Peppers) all’Italiana

I love the rich sweet smell of roasted red capsicums. When combined with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, basil pesto and bocconcini as in this dish, they take me back to long leisurely lunches spent outdoors in Italy. For lunch, serve them with a crusty loaf of bread and green salad; for dinner with char-grilled lamb cutlets.

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

I love the rich sweet smell of roasted red capsicums. When combined with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, basil pesto and bocconcini as in this dish, they take me back to long leisurely lunches spent outdoors in Italy. For lunch, serve them with a crusty loaf of bread and green salad; for dinner with char-grilled lamb cutlets.

Ingredients

  • red capsicums (or 2 red and 2 yellow) 4 medium
  • ripe roma (egg) tomatoes 4
  • garlic 2-3 cloves, peeled and slivered
  • extra virgin olive oil 4 tablespoons
  • bocconcini 12 small, halved
  • black olives (such as Ligurian or Kalamata) 8, stoned and sliced thinly
  • basil pesto 2 tablespoons
  • freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 180degC. Wash the capsicums and cut them in halves lengthways. Cut out membranes and seeds. Wash the tomatoes and cut into quarters lengthways. Fill each capsicum with two pieces of tomato. Place 2 -3 slivers of garlic in each cavity and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place the capsicums on a baking tray lined with foil or baking paper.  Roast for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven, top with the bocconcini, olives and pesto, evenly distributed over the capsicums. Grind some pepper over the top. Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or longer if you prefer them slightly charred. Remove from oven and move to a serving platter.  Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and serve warm.  Also good served at room temperature.