This is a wonderful warm snack to serve with drinks and share with friends. I love it with crackers or a loaf of fresh sourdough. The pepperonata can be made a day in advance.
INGREDIENTS
Pepperonata
¼ cup olive oil
½ red onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ preserved lemon, finely diced
2 red capsicums, core and seeds removed, sliced thinly
1 yellow capsicum, core and seeds removed, sliced thinly
14 kalamata olives (I prefer those with the pits removed)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Baked ricotta
500 grams ricotta
1 free-range egg
¾ cup finely grated parmesan
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
sea salt and black pepper
To serve
crackers or fresh bread
METHOD
Pepperonata: Preheat oven to 180°C. Add the olive oil to a sauté pan over a medium heat. Gently cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, without browning.
Add the fennel seeds and preserved lemon and cook for a further minute.
Add the capsicum and sauté for 15–20 minutes until the capsicums are glossy and tender. Add the olives and cider vinegar.
Transfer to a medium-sized ovenproof dish and bake for 35 minutes. The edges of the capsicum should be lightly browned. Season to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Baked ricotta: Preheat oven to 180°C.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and run until smooth. Season well. Grease a 12cm x 22cm ovenproof dish. Spoon the ricotta mixture into it and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until lightly golden. Serve immediately.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.