Puree of Roasted Red Peppers

These are mild bell peppers, about the size and shape of a fist. In Italy, they are preserved whole or in large pieces, seeded and stemmed. Then, famously, they are served cold with anchovies. The recipe below takes the process a step further, turning cooked peppers into a luscious puree that can be used per se as a glamorous and colorful sauce with grilled meat or diluted with chicken stock to make a remarkable soup.