This dish can be served as an entrée or as a light lunch. At Thousand Pound we serve it with Burrata or goat curd, the anchovies can be omitted for a completely vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

8 ripe Roma tomatoes

4 red capsicum, 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, the best quality you can find, cut in half lengthways

A 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.

Wine Match

2017 St Leonards Vineyard Pinot Gris - $28

“The crisp acidity of Pinot Gris enhances the tomatos and peppers in this dish.” Nick Brown, Winemaker