INGREDIENTS
6 bell
peppers, red or yellow
2 to 3 tablespoons olive
oil
1 ½ cups ricotta
1 lemon
1 tablespoon
chopped preserved lemon rind (optional)
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Sherry or balsamic vinegar, for serving
PREPARATION
Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 425 degrees. Line a
baking sheet with foil. Rinse the peppers, pat them dry and place them on the
pan. Roast the peppers, turning every 10 minutes, until their skins are black
and blistered, 40 minutes, more or less. Transfer the peppers to a heatproof
bowl, cover and, when they’re cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Remove
the caps, cut each pepper in quarters or halves and remove and discard the
seeds. Lightly brush the peppers with oil; use now, or cover closely and
refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Scrape the ricotta into a bowl, and mix with a spatula to
smoothen. Grate the lemon zest over the ricotta, squeeze in about 1 tablespoon
of the juice and add the preserved lemon rind, if you’re using it. Pour in a few
teaspoons of olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use now, or
cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
To serve, spoon or spread the lemon ricotta on a platter or
individual plates, and drizzle with olive oil. Top with peppers, and brush or
drizzle with olive oil and either sherry or balsamic vinegar. Finish with a
sprinkling of chives or basil.