A SIMPLE LUNCH

I usually char peppers to make a contorno salad myself, but sometimes you find them ready-roasted in a greengrocer's, as I did, along with these roasted onions, yesterday. The smell indicated that they had been roasted in a wood-burning oven so I bought some. I quite like to eat the peppers as they are, but to make a salad from them you rub the skin off with your fingers, discarding the seeds if there are too many or they bother you. Then cut the peppers into strips - I use a scissors - put them in a dish and dress them with salt and olive oil, plus oregano, basil and a little paprika if you wish. You could also add capers.

You need the elongated peppers if you are charring the skin yourself: I have never had much success trying to do it with bell peppers and I find it much easier to use a ridged griddle pan for the job than the oven. I have never seen an Italian put them in a plastic bag or wrap them in a tea towel to loosen the skin after charring; if you have the right type of peppers and the skin is sufficiently blistered, it will come off easily once they are cool enough to handle.

A little salame, a contorno of dressed peppers, a tomato salad, some of the roasted onion [which tastes surprisingly sweet] and a little good, hard, Sicilian bread make a simple but appetising lunch.