Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Sicily)

Appetizers

Ingredients

Sweet peppers - 6 large

Eggplants, diced - 6

Salt

Olive oil

Thick tomato sauce - 5 tbsps

Green olives, pitted and chopped - 25-30

Capers - 2 1/2 tbsps

Char the peppers under the broiler or in a very hot oven until their skins blacken and blister. Peel off the thin skins and slice off the top of each pepper. Scoop out seeds and cores, and discard them.

Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and leave for 1 hour in a colander or on a tilted plate to drain off their bitter juices.

Wipe the eggplants dry and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and put in a bowl. Mix well with the tomato sauce, olives and capers.

Sprinkle the peppers lightly with salt and fill each one with some of the eggplant mixture. Replace their tops and arrange the peppers in a baking pan. Sprinkle with oil and bake in a moderate oven (375F) for about 1 hour, basting occasionally with the pan juices. The peppers should cook slowly until they are golden. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 6