Smoky Peppers & Onions on Manchego Toasts
This recipe was inspired by the flavors of Spain. Garlic and smoked paprika are used frequently to flavor all sorts of vegetables, from potatoes to mushrooms. Here, I use the duo on bell peppers and onions, which are cooked until meltingly soft. They top a crusty piece of sourdough, oozing with melted Manchego cheese, and are finally topped with tinned sardines. If the little fishies aren’t your thing, just leave them out.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ medium sweet onion, sliced thinly
- 2 large red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and sliced thinly
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated finely on a rasp grater
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces of young Manchego cheese, sliced thinly
- 1 tin of good quality sardines
- fresh Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 4 thick slices of crusty bread
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and the bell peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring in a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook, partially covered and adjusting the heat so that it doesn’t brown, until the peppers and onions are meltingly soft. This can take up to 20 minutes. The longer you let them go, the softer it will be.
- When the peppers are fully softened, uncover and raise the heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, salt and smoked paprika and cook, stirring for another minute. Taste a pepper for seasoning, and add more salt if needed. Keep warm while you prepare the toasts.
- Lay the cheese evenly over the bread slices. Toast them in a hot oven or a toaster oven until the cheese just begins to melt. Then place the bread on plates or a large serving platter.
- Top each toast with the pepper mixture, then lay a sardine or two (depending on their size), over the peppers. Drizzle with a little more oil and sprinkle with parsley and fresh black pepper and serve. Eat with a knife and fork.
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