Most people turn up their nose at the thought of anchovies, but in this recipe, they provide the salty flavor that balances out the sweet tang of the peppers.   There is nothing “fishy” about the taste of this great side dish.

• 4 large red bell peppers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 flat fillets anchovy (for seasoning, you don’t taste them in the final product)
• 4-8 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Tomatoes (vine ripened or Roma)

Cut tomatoes into 8 wedges each.  Halve and seed peppers.  Fill each pepper half with wedges of tomatoes (about 3-4 for each pepper).  Place in a roasting dish, then continue to fill peppers in this way:  Cut garlic into thin slices and add 3-4 slices to each pepper half.  Snip anchovies into small pieces with kitchen shears and add 3-4 to each pepper.  Add  1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil to each and season with black pepper.  Cook 1 hour at 350 degrees F.  Serve with good bread for sopping up the drippings.

If you have any leftovers, they will make a dynamite marinara sauce:  just run through the food processor!

Recipe by Bev Wright – Carlyn’s “gourmet-chef-at-home” friend from the Cotswolds (UK), transplanted to Los Angeles via Seattle

Photo Gallery of steps in the process: