Piedmontese peppers

Ingredients

• 8-12 ripe plum tomatoes
• 4 red peppers, stalks left on (for decoration), cut lengthways in half, seeds removed
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 large canned anchovies, cut in half lengthways
• small handful fresh basil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

2. Pour boiling water over the plum tomatoes, leave for 10 seconds, carefully remove from the water and refresh in a bowl of cold water. Peel off the tomato skins.

3. Place the halved peppers into an ovenproof dish (preferably one that will be nice enough to present later), cut-side up.

4. Place the garlic inside the peppers and then fit the tomatoes inside too, pushing them gently into the space. Add a small pinch of salt and a grinding of freshly ground black pepper. Spoon over the olive oil and then place into the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes to one hour, turning the heat down a little if you notice any excessive scorching of the peppers.

5. Once they are nicely softened and have slightly collapsed, remove the peppers from the oven. Criss-cross each pepper half with an anchovy, baste with the oily juices and allow to cool to room temperature.

6. Top with basil leaves and serve.