Roast peppers, cannellini beans and crisp capers

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.

Step 2

Put the peppers and onions in a large bowl, pour in five tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle over a half-teaspoon of salt. Toss with your hands, then tip out on to one large or two smaller baking sheets – the vegetables should lie toe to toe rather than on top of each other. Roast for 55 minutes, mixing once halfway through, until reduced, glistening and caramelised.

Step 3

Meanwhile, cook the beans and capers. Put four tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute, until pale gold and turning sticky.

Step 4

Stir in the oregano, drained beans and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt, then half-fill the empty bean tin with water, add that to the pan, too, and stir again. Leave to bubble away for 10 minutes, until saucy and thick – if after this time it is still a bit wet and runny, squish the beans with a potato masher three times, until the liquid turns creamy. Stir in a half-tablespoon of lemon juice and take off the heat.

Step 5

For the capers, put a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the capers (watch out, they might spit) and cook for about four minutes, until they are emerald green and visibly crisp. Take off the heat.

Step 6

When the peppers and onions have finished roasting, stir in the remaining half-tablespoon of lemon juice. Decant the hot beans on to your finest platter, tip the peppers and onions in a line down the middle, then spoon the capers over the peppers and onions. Serve with warmed bread such as focaccia, ciabatta or baguette on the side.