Ingredients

• 2 x Medium Red Peppers (capsicum)

• 1 x Medium Eggplant - halved

• 1 x Large Red Spanish Onion - cut into half moons

• 1/2 x Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 4 x Medium Tomatoes, peeled or 1 x Tin Italian diced Tomatoes - salt free

• 4 x Large Garlic Cloves, minced

• 3 x Medium courgettes - 2-3cm sliced

• 1 x Teaspoon Mediterranean oregano

• 1 x Teaspoon dried thyme

• 2 x Teaspoons smoky paprika

• 1/2 x Teaspoon Aleppo chili powder

• 300g x Best quality smoked leg ham. Deli style - cut into strips

• Salt to your special diet and taste

• The traditional Piperade recipe calls for piment d’Espelette chilli, however, due to difficulty in obtaining these French chilis, we have added the Aleppo chili powder

Preparation

Heat the oven to 180c then roast both the Peppers until the skin starts to crinkle and becomes a little black in parts. Then remove from the oven, saving the juice and without burning your fingers, remove the top and seeds and cut into approx 4-5cm strips and set aside. You will now have an amazing smoky flavour from the peppers ready for the dish.

Next add olive oil to a medium hot heavy based pan and add the onions and garlic and cook to caramelise. Now add the freshly ground black pepper, dried thyme, oregano, paprika, chilli, tomatoes and the roasted red pepper strips, sliced eggplant, courgettes and smoked ham. Include all roasting juice.

Gently stir then cook for 30 minutes to reduce until you reach your desired consistency. The longer you cook allows the ingredients to lose their chunkiness with more intense flavour.

Important to taste as you go and if the ingredients are a little too sharp, add 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar This recipe may be prepared and refrigerated several days in advance. The perfect bonus.

Important: For maximum black pepper flavour, in a hot dry pan gently toast the peppercorns until you get a wonderful aroma in your kitchen - about one minute. Allow to cool then grind. You will now have turbo charged ground black pepper flavour for the dish. Wonderful. Note: Always use the very best quality peppercorns. Many peppercorns available are sadly with a flat flavour.