Roasted Red Peppers with Basil, Fried Capers and Eight-Anchovy Dressing

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Simple, flavorful and easy to make ahead, this platter of silky, smoky red peppers can serve as a side for a big steak, some grilled fish or as an appetizer with chunks of crusty bread and a gooey burrata cheese. If you want to make this dish outside of the local pepper season, you can easily re-create it using three jars of store-bought roasted red peppers. Any leftovers would be a nice addition to the Flattened Chicken Sandwiches in this story.

Serves 4

6 big red bell peppers (or 3 12-ounce jars of whole high quality roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry)
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup nonpareil capers, drained and patted very dry
2 cups whole basil leaves, washed and spun dry
¼ cup (or more) Eight-Anchovy Dressing
Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, to taste

Light a charcoal or gas grill or preheat a stovetop grill pan to smoking.

If using fresh peppers, grill them whole over a hot flame until charred all over, turning frequently with tongs; you want the entire skin of each pepper to be blackened, and you may need to do this in batches. Remove peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a heavy tea towel. Allow peppers to steam (making peeling easier) for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a small saucepan over the grill (or inside on the stove) heat ¼ cup olive oil and add the capers; fry until they “pop” and open like little flowers. Use a slotted spoon to remove capers from the oil to a paper-towel-lined plate, reserving the oil. In a small bowl, combine the crushed garlic with the balsamic and press down on the garlic with a fork to infuse the vinegar. Set aside.

When the peppers have rested for 10 minutes, peel away the charred skin and remove the stems, seeds and membranes. Slice or tear the peppers lengthwise into pieces and arrange on a serving platter large enough to hold them in one layer. Season liberally with salt and pepper and drizzle the garlicky vinegar and some of the reserved caper-infused olive oil over the top. Dot the peppers with dollops of the dressing, sprinkle with fried capers and top with the basil leaves. Shave Parmigiano or pecorino over the top with a vegetable peeler for shards, or grate with a Microplane for a more “dusting” effect. Serve at room temperature.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2026 issue as part of a larger story: One Ingredient, Eight-Anchovy Dressing.