Delicious UK - (05)May 2020

deliciousmagazine.co.uk 41

food memories.

Thisrecipereallydoeshavea historyandhastravelleda long

wayonitsjourneytobeingincludedinthepagesofdelicious.

magazine.Retrospectively,itstands out as being one of the most

popular(outsideChristmas).

ThestorybeginswiththereveredfoodwriterElizabethDavid,

whoincludedtheroastedpeppersinhersplendidbookItalian

Food. TherecipewasthenservedatthefamousrestaurantThe

WalnutTreeInn,nearAbergavenny,bytheItalianchefFranco

Taruschio.Hewasheldinsuchhighesteemthateveryoneat the

timewouldmakea Welshpilgrimagetogoandeatthere.

Followingthat,anotherchef– myfavouriteofalltime,SimonHopkinson– included

therecipewhenhelaunchedhisfamousrestaurantBibendum.Ina reviewofthe

restaurantI rememberwritingthatthePiedmontpeppersweresogoodthat,aswith

thegreatwinesofMontrachet,theyshouldbeenjoyedkneelingwiththeheadbared!

AfterthatI includedtherecipeinmybook,SummerCollection, anditthen,aswe

wouldnowsay,wentviral.WhenI makethemnowI tendtoletthepepperscook

a littlelongerasI likethemtobeslightlyblackenedandcharredaroundtheedges.

Home made focaccia with rosemary is perfect for mopping up all the juices.

Piedmontroasted

peppers

SERVES 4-8 AS A STARTER

• 4 largeredpeppers (green are
  notsuitable)


• 6 mediumtomatoes


• 8 tinnedanchovyfillets, drained


• 2 garliccloves


• 8 dessertspoons Italian extra
  virginoil


• Freshly milled black pepper

TOSERVE

• Smallbunch fresh basil
  leaves

EQUIPMENT

Forthisit isessentialtousea

good,solid,shallowroastingtray,

40 x 30cm.If thesidesaretoo

deep,theroastedvegetables

won’tgetthoselovely, nutty,

toasted edges.

Preheatthe oven to gas mark 4,

180°C.

NEXT

MONTH

Strawberryand

vanilla pavlova

METHOD

Beginbycuttingthepeppersinhalf

andremovingtheseedsbutleaving

thestalksintact(they’renotedible

buttheydolookattractiveand

theyhelpthepepper halves to keep

their shape).

Laythepepperhalvesinthelightly

oiledroastingtray.Nowputthe

tomatoesina bowlandpourboiling

wateroverthem.Leavethemfor

1 minute,thendrainthemandslip

theskinsoff,usinga clothtoprotect

yourhands.Thencutthetomatoes

intoquartersandplace three

quarters in each pepper half.

Afterthat,sniponeanchovyfillet

perpepperhalfintoroughpieces

andaddtothetomatoes.Peelthe

garliccloves,slicethemthinlyand

dividetheslicesequallyamong the

tomatoes and anchovies.

Nowspoon1 dessertspoonofolive

oil into each pepper half, season

withfreshlymilledpepper(butno

saltbecauseoftheanchovies)and

placethetrayona highshelfin

theovenforthepepperstoroast

for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Transferthecookedpeppersto

a servingdish,withalltheprecious

juicespouredover,andgarnish with

a sprig of basil leaves.

Thesedoneedgoodbreadtogo

withthemasthejuicesaresublime

• focaccia would be perfect.

Recipe:©DeliaSmith1993,

Delia’sSummerCollection,published

byBBCBooks.FormoreDelia

recipes,cookeryschoolvideos,

andinformationonbakewareand

ingredients go to deliaonline.com.

PORTRAIT: TREVOR LEIGHTON. FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: PETER KNAB