PANZANELLA WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING

If you’ve got any slightly stale bread hanging around, this is a brilliant tomato salad to use it up in, particularly when you can get your hands on the more interesting varieties of tomatoes throughout the warmer months. Keep them at room temperature – they’ll have the most flavour and strongest scent this way.

Serves 2 (or 4 as a side dish) l 1 yellow and 1 red pepper, halved and

deseeded l 1tbsp rapeseed or light olive oil l ½tsp sea salt flakes l 1 red onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced

(a mandolin is handy for this) l 2tbsp red wine vinegar l 6 anchovies, drained, roughly

chopped l 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed l 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil l 500g (1lb 2oz) mixed, ripe tomatoes

(an assortment of colours and shapes), roughly chopped l 4 thick slices of slightly stale sourdough, crusts removed and torn into chunks l 1tbsp capers in brine, drained l A small bunch of basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/ gas 6. Next, in a roasting tin, lightly coat the peppers in the oil and half the salt flakes. Roast for 20 minutes. Once softened and lightly charred all over, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, slice into long strips and set aside until later.

Meanwhile, mix the red onion, vinegar and the rest of the salt in a large bowl and leave to sit for 5 minutes to lightly pickle.

Make the anchovy dressing by pounding the anchovies, crushed garlic and extra-virgin olive oil together in a pestle and mortar (or you can roughly chop and stir together in a bowl).

To the bowl with the pickled red onion, add the tomatoes, bread, peppers, capers and half the basil and toss together to combine well. Allow the mixture to sit for five minutes so the bread can soak up the flavours.

To serve, divide the panzanella salad between individual plates or use one large serving plate. Spoon the anchovy dressing all over, and finish off by scattering with the remaining basil leaves.