Ingredients:
450 gm red and yellow peppers
6 tbsps olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
400 gm fusilli or other short pasta
3 tbsps finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method:
Place the peppers under a hot grill and turn occasionally until they are blackened and blistered on all sides. Remove from the heat, place in a plastic bag, seal and leave for 5 minutes.
Peel the peppers. Cut them into quarters, remove the stems and seeds, and slice into thin strips. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, and cook over a moderate heat until translucent, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until just al dente. Do not drain yet.
Meanwhile, add the peppers to the onion, and mix together gently. Stir in about 3 tbsps of the pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the finely chopped fresh parsley.
Drain the pasta. Tip it into the pan with the vegetables and cook over a moderate heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to mix the pasta into the sauce. Serve with the grated Parmesan cheese handed round separately..

Ingredients:
1 yellow or red pepper
1 large cucumber
4-5 tomatoes
1 bunch spring onions
2 tbsps finely chopped
fresh parsley 2 tbsps finely chopped
fresh mint 2 tbsps finely chopped
fresh coriander 2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 tbsps olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and black pepper
2 pitta breads, to serve

Method:
Slice the pepper, discarding the seeds and core, then roughly chop the cucumber and tomatoes. Place them in a large salad bowl. Trim and slice the spring onions.
Add to the cucumber, tomatoes and pepper with the finely chopped parsley, mint and coriander. To make the dressing, blend the garlic with the olive oil and lemon juice in a jug, then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to mix.
Toast the pitta bread in a toaster or under a hot grill until crisp and then serve alongside salad.

Ingredients:
750 gm red peppers; 750 gm aubergines
500 gms onions (in their skins)
Salt
4 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/gas 4. Place the peppers, aubergines and onions on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour, or until tender. Remove the tray from the oven and cover the vegetables with a tea towel. Leave for 10 minutes.
Remove the blistered skin of the peppers and scrape out the seeds. Cut the flesh into strips. Remove the skin of the aubergines and cut the flesh lengthways into strips. Peel the onions and roughly chop the flesh.
Arrange the roasted vegetables in a serving dish. Sprinkle liberally with salt and oil, scatter over the chopped garlic. Leave to cool before serving.

Ingredients:
1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsps butter; 1 onion, chopped,
2 garlic cloves, crushed
275 gm risotto rice
1 litre simmering vegetable stock
50 gm freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Procedure:
Preheat the grill to high. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and pith and arrange, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Place under the grill for 5-6 minutes until the skin is charred. Put the peppers in a plastic bag, tie the ends and leave for 4-5 minutes.
Peel the peppers when they are cool enough to handle and the steam has loosened the skin. Cut into thin strips. Heat the oil and butter in a pan and fry the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes over a low heat until the onion begins to soften. Add the peppers and cook the mixture for 3-4 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the rice. Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring all the time, until the rice is evenly coated in oil and the outer part of each grain has become translucent.
Add a ladleful of stock. Cook, stirring, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to add the stock, a ladleful at a time, making sure each quantity has been absorbed before adding the next. When the rice is tender but retains a bit of 'bite', stir in the Parmesan, and add seasoning to taste. Cover and leave to stand for 3-4 minutes, then serve, with extra Parmesan, if using.

Ingredients:
2 red peppers, 1 green pepper; 2 tbsps olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5-6 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup pureed canned tomatoes or tomato juice
A good pinch of dried basil; 4 eggs
8 tsps single cream
A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Seed and thinly slice the peppers. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion and garlic gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
Add the peppers to the onion and fry for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree or juice, the basil and seasoning. Cook gently for a further 10 minutes until the peppers are soft.
Spoon the mixture into four ovenproof dishes, preferably earthenware. Make a hole in the centre and break an egg into each. Spoon 2 tsps cream over the yolk of each egg and sprinkle with a little black pepper or cayenne, as preferred.
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the white of the egg is lightly set. Serve at once with chunks of crusty warm French or Spanish bread.

Ingredients:
8 small green peppers, tops sliced off, cored and deseeded
75 ml olive oil; 2 onions, finely chopped
3 tbsps red wine; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp tomato puree
1.5 kg plum tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 cinnamon stick; 2 cloves,
1 fresh bay leaf
Salt and black pepper,
350 ml chicken stock
250 gms minced lamb; 2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
125 gms long-grain rice, rinsed and drained

Procedure:
Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the peppers and tops for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. To make the sauce, heat half the oil and add half the onion and garlic. Stew gently for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the wine, honey and tomato puree and allow to bubble for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, cinnamon sick, cloves, bay leaf and seasoning. Leave to simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the sauce is thick. Strain the sauce through a sieve and set aside. Heat the stock to boiling point.To make the filling, warm the rest of the oil and add the remaining onion and garlic. Cook gently for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft. Turn up he heat and add the lamb, ground spices and seasoning. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring, to brown the meat.
Add the rice to the lamb mixture. Stir well, then pour over the boiling stock. Cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, until all he liquid has been absorbed and small holes begin to appear in the surface. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture and replace their tops. Pack them into a dish and pour over the sauce. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool before serving - this dish is best made a day in advance.

Ingredients:
2 red peppers, 2 yellow peppers 3 tbsps olive oil; 1 onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 tsp mild chilli powder 400 gm chopped tomatoes 450 gm dried pasta shells or spirals Salt and ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6. Place the peppers on a baking sheet or in a roasting tin and bake for about 20 minutes or until they are beginning to char. Alternatively you could grill the peppers, turning frequently until evenly blistered. Rub the skins off the peppers under cold water. Halve, seed and roughly chop the flesh.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook gently for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the chilli powder, cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and peppers. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced. Season.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Drain well and toss with the sauce. Serve piping hot with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.