Peppers

Crunchy red peppers are the ripest of them all – green peppers are just cousins of the red ones that have been picked before they’ve ripened and had a chance to turn plump and sweet. I prefer a cooked pepper myself, and to speed things up I’ll often use a jarred pepper that has been packed after roasting. To cook peppers yourself (for example for the romesco on page 33, or the rigatoni on page 128), either cook whole over a gas flame, turning often for 15 minutes, until the skins are completely charred, or roast on a baking parchment-lined baking sheet in an oven heated to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 until the peppers are completely soft and the skin charred and wrinkled. Tip the peppers into a bowl and cover with a plate (the steam will help to loosen the skins). Once cool, peel away the skins and discard with the stalk and seeds before adding to your dishes.