Roasted Pepper Rolls Stuffed With Tuna--Peperoni farciti con tonno e acciuga

Makes about 15 small rolls, serving 6 as an hors d'oeuvre

Ingredients

  • 3 or 4 sweet red or assorted color peppers (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
  • 1/3 cup or so extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt or to taste
  • Two 6-ounce cans tuna in olive oil (preferably imported from Italy)
  • 2 small anchovy fillets, drained and chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons small capers, drained and chopped fine
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Recommended Equipment

  • Parchment-lined baking sheet
  • Sieve to drain & dry out strips of peppers
  • Mixing bowl and fork for tuna and other ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º. Rub the peppers all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or so, turning the peppers occasionally, until their skins are wrinkled and slightly charred.

Let the peppers cool completely. Slice in half (through the stem end), discard the stem, peel off the skin and slice the halves lengthwise into strips 2-inches wide. Scrape the seeds from the strips and lay them in a sieve to drain and dry.

To make the stuffing, drain the tuna, and break it into flakes in a medium-size bowl. One at a time, mix the seasonings into the tuna with a fork: chopped anchovies, capers, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, parsley, 2 tablespoons olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir vigorously, breaking up lumps of fish, until the stuffing is soft and fairly smooth. Add more of any seasoning to taste. Drop a scant tablespoon of stuffing at one end of each roast pepper strip and roll it up snug, creating a neat cylinder. Press the pepper as you wrap so it adheres to itself and stays closed.

To serve, arrange all the rolls on a platter, drizzle a bit more olive oil all over and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.