PIPARRAS PEPPERS

Piparras are from the Basque region and for me, they are one of the sweetest peppers. Long, thin and elegant in shape, they have the benefit of cooking very quickly. When they are finished with a sprinkling of crunchy sea salt, I could eat them like popcorn. Gernika peppers are also a Basque speciality and are slightly larger than piparras, with a nutty flavour. Whatever type you use, a bowl of peppers is a perfect way to start a meal, though they are also great served alongside a piece of meat or fish – you really don’t need anything else.

Pour ½cm of olive oil into a frying pan and put on a medium heat. When hot, add the piparras, turning them with metal tongs – as soon as they start to get some colour (30–40 seconds), they’re done. Remove and drain on kitchen paper, then serve, with sea salt sprinkled over.