Italian-style capsicum halves topped with mozzarella,anchovy and basil.
Italian-style capsicum halves topped with mozzarella,anchovy and basil.William Meppem
easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

This gorgeous and easy dish makes a perfect antipasto or simple lunch to serve cold,warm or at room temperature. It's as light and simple as summer cooking should be.

Advertisement

Ingredients

  • 18 cherry truss tomatoes

  • 3 red capsicums

  • 4 cloves garlic,thinly sliced

  • 12 basil leaves,plus extra for garnishing

  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • salt and black pepper

  • 6 anchovy fillets

  • 1 ball fresh buffalo or cow's milk mozzarella

  • crusty bread or a chewy focaccia,to serve

Method

  1. Step1

    Preheat your oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).

  2. Step2

    Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Cut an"x"into the base (opposite end to where the stalk is) of each tomato and place them in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the tomatoes and leave to sit for just under a minute,until you can see the skins are splitting. Remove from the water and allow to cool,then peel the skins off and discard.

  3. Step3

    Cut your capsicums through the centre and stalk. The stalk helps the peppers to hold their shape and looks beautiful when roasted. Cut out and discard the seeds and any white membrane.

  4. Step4

    Place a crumpled piece of aluminium foil on the base of a tray and place the peppers,cut side up,on it (this helps to keep them from tipping over). Divide the sliced garlic among the capsicum cases,then add two basil leaves and 3 peeled tomatoes per case,filling each cavity. Drizzle about a tablespoon of oil into each half and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges of the peppers are deeply browned and the tomatoes have shrivelled slightly.

  5. Step5

    Remove the tray from the oven and drape one anchovy over each capsicum case. Place the peppers on a platter and tear up the mozzarella,dropping the pieces in and around the halves. Garnish with more basil and extra salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish or with crusty bread to mop up all the juices.

Appears in these collections

The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up
License this article
Danielle AlvarezDanielle Alvarez is a chef,recipe writer and host of Good Food Kitchen.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Similar Recipes

Broken potatoes.

Adam Liaw’s roast spring lamb shoulder with garlic and lemon,and ‘broken’ potatoes

  • 2 hrs +
  • Adam Liaw
Adam Liaw’s roast chicken with parmesan and sourdough sauce.
EASY

Roast chicken and cauliflower with parmesan and sourdough sauce

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Adam Liaw
Yorkshire puddings.
EASY

Adam Liaw’s Yorkshire puddings

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Adam Liaw
Mustard and herb roasted chicken breast with buttered leeks.
EASY

Mustard-and herb-roasted chicken breast with buttered leeks

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Danielle Alvarez
Top with pine nuts and serve with crusty bread.
EASY

This might be your new go-to roast chicken recipe for the Sunday lunching season ahead

  • 1-2 hrs
  • Julia Busuttil Nishimura

More by Danielle Alvarez

The beauty of this sandwich is that it actually wants to be made ahead of time to feed a crowd.
EASY

Many mouths to feed? This make-ahead muffuletta sandwich makes it easy

  • <30 mins
  • Danielle Alvarez
Danielle Alvarez’s chicken,pumpkin,chickpea and rice soup with spiced chilli oil.

Chicken,pumpkin,chickpea and rice soup with spiced chilli oil

  • 2 hrs +
  • Danielle Alvarez
Sicilian citrus salad.
EASY

Sicilian citrus and fennel salad

  • <30 mins
  • Danielle Alvarez
Pappardelle with white pork ragu,sage and lemon.

Pappardelle with white pork ragu,sage and lemon

  • 2 hrs +
  • Danielle Alvarez
Spicy seafood and potato stew with fennel,tomatoes and saffron.
EASY

Spicy seafood and potato stew with fennel,tomatoes and saffron

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Danielle Alvarez