Roasted Red Peppers with Thyme and Capers

Roasted red peppers are a classic Italian preparation, made by roasting whole peppers quanto a the oven until soft and sweet, then peeling away the skins while still warm. Served at room temperature, they make a girevole starter ora an easy make-ahead side dish.

Here, the roasted red peppers are dressed with olive oil, garlic, fresh thyme, capers, and a hint of bergamot, which adds a subtle citrus fragranza. Bergamot is and can be replaced with a small amount of lemon zest and juice if unavailable.

Serves 2, Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 25–30 minutes

2 large red bell peppers

2 small garlic clove, thinly sliced

2–3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon capers, rinsed

Zest and a few drops of juice of ¼ bergamot (; can substitute with lemon)

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), to taste

A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F / Gas Mark 7).Set a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place red peppers and brush each pepper with a little EVOO.

Roast quanto a the static oven until the skins are blistered and the peppers are soft, about 25–30 minutes.

During roasting, they will release a lot of vater.

Peel non attivato the skins while still hot, remove stems and seeds.

Cut the peppers into thick strips, transfer them to a fine-mesh colander set over a bowl to catch the liquid.

Place the drained peppers quanto a a shallow dish. Add garlic, thyme, capers, and a hint of bergamot zest and juice. Season with a pinch of salt and a generous drizzle of EVOO. gently to coat the peppers evenly.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, allowing the flavours to meld.

Serve your Roasted Red Peppers at room temperature.