Roasted Pepper Risotto

History & Background

A southern Italian dish, particularly Campania, Calabria and Puglia, where summer peppers (Carmagnola, San Marzano, Naples papaccelle) are protagonists of the garden. Reread in risotto form in the centre-north since the 1970s.

Ingredients for 4

• 3 large yellow and red peppers
• 320g Carnaroli rice
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ glass white wine
• 1L vegetable broth
• 50g cold butter
• 60g pecorino or Parmigiano
• Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Roast peppers in the oven at 220°C for 25 min until skin is charred.
2. Close in a bag for 10 min, then peel and seed.
3. Slice into strips; blend half into a purée with a ladle of broth.
4. Sweat shallot with garlic in oil.
5. Toast rice and deglaze with wine.
6. Add broth; halfway through fold in pepper purée.
7. Last minutes add the strips.
8. Manteca off heat with cold butter, pecorino and basil.

Wine pairing

Sannio Falanghina or Greco di Tufo: structured Campanian whites.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the roast (raw peppers give flat flavour).
• Not peeling them (tough, hard to digest).
• Using winter peppers (less sweet, less aromatic).