“I wasn’t lying when I said the Sardinians love deep frying. Deep frying the peppers here means they become deliciously soft, silky and sweet, but you can achieve a similar result if you roast them slowly in the oven with lots of olive oil,” says cookbook author Letitia Clarke.

“They are addictively good. You can make them the day ahead and they are even better. In fact, they must sit for a few hours for the flavours to mellow and develop. The anchovy, vinegar and capers make a wonderfully piquant dressing to foil the sweetness. Serve at room temperature, with plenty of crusty bread and some shards of salty pecorino cheese.”

ADVERTISEMENT
Fried peppers recipe (Matt Russell/PA)
Fried peppers recipe (Matt Russell/PA)
Fried peppers recipe (Matt Russell/PA)
Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Deep-fried peppers with anchovies and capers recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 693 Calories from Fat 756
% Daily Value*
Fat 84g129%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 49mg2%
Potassium 146mg4%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 1863IU37%
Vitamin C 76mg92%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Deep-fried peppers with anchovies and capers recipe

Soft and sweet peppers
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 693kcal
Author: Letitia Clark

Equipment

  • Frying pan
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 500 ml olive oil for frying, plus extra for drizzling
  • 3 large red peppers deseeded and cut into eighths lengthways
  • 8 anchovy fillets torn lengthways
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • sea salt
  • a few basil leaves to serve

Method

  • In a frying pan over a medium heat, warm the olive oil and then fry the pieces of pepper until they are completely soft and just beginning to take colour. Remove and drain well on kitchen paper.
  • Heap the peppers into a mixing bowl and stir through the anchovies, capers and vinegar. Taste for seasoning. They shouldn’t need salt as the anchovies are salty but if they are insipid, then add a pinch.
  • Stir well and leave to sit for at least one hour – even better, three to four hours. Serve at room temperature, scattered with some fresh basil and drizzled with your best oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 693kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 84g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1863IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Bitter Honey by Letitia Clark, photography by Matt Russell, is published by Hardie Grant, priced £26.

Wise Living Magazine may receive a small commission to help support the running of this site from purchases made from links on this page. Affiliate links do not influence our editorial or articles published by Wise Living.

ADVERTISEMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Recipe Rating




Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.