Another summer family classic is a bruschetta with roasted peppers. It’s colorful, with the unmistakable charred taste of roasted peppers, a hint of garlic and oregano, and, following my grandma’s tradition, a thin layer of mayonnaise.
As for the bread, a crusty Tuscan bread would do, while a sourdough loaf or whole wheat bread would add a nice rustic touch.
Makes 12 bruschette
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 yellow bell peppers
- 1 green bell pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dried oregano
- Fresh basil
- 12 slices Tuscan bread or whole wheat bread, slightly toasted
Wash the red and yellow peppers and place them whole onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast them until the skin is charred here and there, turning them with a fork to cook them evenly. After about 25 minutes, remove the peppers from the oven—be careful with them, as they will usually be full of steaming hot juices—and transfer them into a plastic bag. Seal for at least an hour; this will help them peel easily.
After an hour, when the peppers are completely cooled, peel them, remove the seeds, and dice them.
Dice the green pepper, too, then collect all the diced peppers into a bowl, season with extra-virgin olive oil, one crushed clove of garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried oregano to taste.
Let them sit in the fridge for a few hours to enhance their flavors until you are ready to serve them. You can even prepare them the day before.
Spread the bread slices with some mayonnaise, then top them with the roasted peppers.
Decorate the roasted pepper bruschetta with a few leaves of fresh basil and serve.
