Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 4 red bell peppers, whole
- 2 garlic, minced
Flavorings
- 6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and roughly chopped
- 30 g capers, drained and rinsed
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 167 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 368 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 4 mg
- Potassium
- 462 mg
- Calcium
- 33 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 69 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 315 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 257 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 5.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 3.0 mg
- Folate
- 94 mcg
- Water
- 195 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.
Place the whole bell peppers on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are thoroughly blackened and blistered on all sides.
Transfer the hot peppers to a mixing bowl and cover tightly. Let them rest for 15 minutes to allow the trapped steam to loosen the skins.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins off the peppers. Discard the stems, seeds, and skins. Slice the pepper flesh into long strips and place them back into the empty mixing bowl.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, warm the extra virgin olive oil. Add the minced garlic and chopped anchovy fillets. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly and pressing the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they melt into the oil.
Pour the warm anchovy and garlic oil over the sliced roasted peppers. Add the capers to the bowl and mix gently to combine.
Allow the dish to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to marinate and allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the absolute best flavor, prepare this dish a day in advance. The extra marination time in the refrigerator allows the sweet peppers to fully absorb the briny, umami-rich notes of the dressing.
- The quality of the few ingredients used here is paramount. Opt for high-quality jarred anchovies and robust extra virgin olive oil.
- If you have access to salt-packed capers, use them instead of brined capers. Soak them in water for 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly before using for a superior, floral flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen and improve after 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Pepper skins are very difficult to peel.
Cause: The peppers were not roasted long enough to properly blister, or the bowl was not sealed tightly enough during the steaming phase.
Fix: Use a small paring knife to carefully scrape the stubborn skin away from the flesh.
Prevention: Ensure the peppers look fully collapsed and charred before removing from the oven, and use an airtight cover like a plate or tight plastic wrap over the bowl.
Garlic is bitter.
Cause: The skillet was too hot, causing the minced garlic to burn before the anchovies melted.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. You must discard the oil mixture and start over with fresh oil, garlic, and anchovies.
Prevention: Keep the heat at medium-low and stir constantly. Remove the skillet from the heat if the garlic starts to gain color quickly.
Cultural Context
This dish embodies the essence of Italian agrodolce, a culinary philosophy of balancing sweet and sour elements. By pairing the natural, concentrated sweetness of fire-roasted peppers with the assertive brine of capers and cured fish, it creates a robust flavor profile. Variations of this preparation are found throughout Southern Italy, particularly in Campania and Sicily, where anchovies and capers frequently serve as foundational flavor enhancers rather than standalone proteins.
