4 - 6 Large Red Peppers

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

juice of 1 lemon

good olive oil

sprig fresh parsely, chopped

salt and black pepper to taste

dried red pepper (optional) 

Wash peppers and remove any stems. Roast peppers on a wood or charcoal grill if you have one. Stovetop griddles also work well, as do balancing the peppers on the burner grates of gas stoves. In a pinch though, you can also broil the peppers in the oven. 

If grilling, keep over a low flame and turn frequently (not with your hands!) to cook evenly – ideally the entire surface of the peppers should be scorched black and blistery – even the top and bottom and as many of the nooks and crannies as possible – but not too soft. 

Remove cooked peppers from heat and place them inside a paper (or plastic) bag – this allows them to steam in their own juices and soften. A covered pot does the trick as well. 

Use a sharp paring knife to peel the skin off. The more blackened the skin, the easier it will peel. As you cut the peppers open, catch as much juice as possible in a bowl. Trim them into uniform pieces, scraping out the seeds and ribbing. Strain any errant seeds from the collected juice. 

Place the pepper pieces in a bowl or container with a lid and pour in the strained juice until it just covers them. Add the chopped garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Some pepperoncino (dried red pepper) can be added as well if you like them spicy. They can be eaten right away, but with a day or two of preservation, they are sure to send your guests into ecstasy. Serve atop slices of semolina or another good Italian bread. Mamma mia they go fast!