Sophia Loren's Roasted Pepper's

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

We had a small party for the young faculty members in our college and our department was tasked to bring in a pasta dish and an appetizer. After thinking long and hard on the most convenient and yet tasty appetizer I could prepare, I finally settled on Sophia Loren's roasted peppers served on slices of French bread. The original concept included a slice of homemade goat cheese to balance out the flavors. Sadly, the goat milk needed to make the cheese was not available last week so that bit had to go. I was not able to find a suitable replacement at such short notice so I just decided to go with the peppers. Anyway, they are good enough to eat on their own. 

I have made this dish numerous times because it is very easy to make and very delicious, not to mention healthy. The only concern is that you need big red, yellow, orange and green bell peppers and they can be quite expensive. Even when I was still living in the US, I go to Costco or Sam's club to purchase the peppers in bulk just to stay on budget. Luckily, I was able to find a grocery store here that carried these big peppers for about $4 for the 6 peppers that I needed. I have to admit that this is actually quite good in terms of price. If the peppers are in season though, I suggest you make a ton of these and bottle them stored in good olive oil and whip them out whenever you have unexpected guests.

Sophia Loren's Roasted Peppers - Adapted*

6 large bell peppers (yellow, red and green)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tbsp Parmigiano Regianno, grated

1. Roast the peppers in charcoal or over direct flame until the skin have 
    blackened. Transfer the peppers into a bowl and cover with clingwrap. 
    Allow to steam and cool for about 20 minutes. 

2. Once cooled, peel off the charred skin and deseed the peppers. Slice into 
    smaller pieces. 

3. In a pan over medium low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute
    until just softened. Add the peppers and season with salt. Cover and adjust
    the heat to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes making sure to move the 
    peppers around to avoid them from sticking in the pan. Add more oil if 
    necessary. 

4. Sprinkle the cheese over the peppers and mix. Simmer covered for another
    5 minutes. 

5. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. 
    Slide onto a serving plate making sure the crusty top is kept intact. Drizzle 
    with more olive oil if desired. 

*Loren, S., Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories, GT Publishing, New York: 1998.