This classic Italian salad is brilliant for using up leftovers, everything from slightly soft peppers to over-ripe tomatoes and stale bread. It is very forgiving if you want to omit an ingredient or sub something else in, though be sure to retain the tomatoes and bread.
1 red onion, thinly sliced
pinch of sugar
pinch of sea salt
2 red (bell) peppers
1 yellow (bell) pepper
600g (1lb 5oz) ripe mixed tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
250g (9oz) stale sourdough bread, cut into 2-cm (¾-in) pieces
3 fresh anchovy fillets (if you can’t get fresh anchovies use marinated instead), finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated (minced)
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and finely chopped
80g (2¾oz) black olives, pitted and halved
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp basil leaves, roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
handful of basil leaves
Preheat the oven to its hottest setting and line a roasting tin with foil.
Place the sliced onion into a small bowl and add the pinch of sugar and salt. Toss to coat and set aside.
Lay the peppers in the lined tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. When the skins are black all over, remove from the oven, carefully transfer to a freezer bag and seal it to trap the steam. Leave to one side until they are cool enough to handle.
Place the tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Give them a gentle squeeze with your hands to break them down slightly, so they release some juices. Add the cucumber, bread, chopped anchovies, garlic, capers, olives, oil and vinegar. Rinse the onions and add them, too.
By now the peppers should be cool enough to handle. Peel off the charred skins, pull them open and remove the seeds. Tear them into strips and add them to the tomato and bread mix. Stir together then leave to stand for 30 minutes minimum, ideally 1 hour, so the bread has time to soak up the juices.
When you’re ready to serve, add the chopped basil and give it one last stir. Transfer everything to a shallow serving platter that will hold all the juices, garnish with some basil leaves and season well.