Bell pepper with anchovy, olives and tomatoes
This tasty stuffed pepper appetizer is the kind of dish served at Spanish tapas bars — slices of red yellow and green peppers are filled with garlic, green olives, capers and spicy saffron.
The anchovies packed with omega-3, add some punch and saltiness that contrasts nicely with the sweet roasted peppers.
You can make the filling a day ahead, just make sure to let it come to room temperature and stir it before using.
Serves: 6 as a sharing tapas plate
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 medium red bell peppers
2 medium yellow bell peppers
1 medium green bell pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 - 4 cloves)
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
15 green pitted olives, chopped
8 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained (save some of the oil for drizzling later) and minced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup good olive oil
Handful of fresh basil, plus a few leaves to garnish
100g toasted pine nuts for serving
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C fan. Cut each pepper in half through the core and remove the ribs and seeds. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 wedges and arrange them cut-side up in a single layer in two large shallow oven-proof serving dishes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, olives, minced anchovies, tomato, capers, saffron, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and with sea salt and black pepper. Spread about a tablespoon of the mixture on each pepper wedge. Drizzle with saved anchovy oil.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the peppers are tender, and the filling is a little crisp on top. Sprinkle with torn basil and serve warm or at room temperature.