How to Roast and Peel Peppers

Methods for roasting and peeling peppers.

When choosing peppers for roasting, it's important to look at their shape and choose ones that aren't too deformed (bell peppers shouldn't have too many indentations; kapia peppers should be straight without many indentations) to ensure uniform contact with the cooking surface. This way their skin will brown evenly and they'll be much easier to peel.

How to roast peppers on a stovetop griddle (on the stove or outdoors over a wood fire)

• Place washed peppers on a very hot griddle and turn them as the skin blackens; I only use this method in autumn, in my grandmother's yard (see photos of peppers roasted on the griddle here). I prefer to freeze peppers roasted over wood fire so I have smoky-flavored peppers in winter. I also make this special pepper paste from them. I never roast peppers on a griddle indoors because it creates too much smoke.

Therefore, indoors, I always prefer to roast peppers in the oven. You'll only smell a slight aroma of roasted peppers, but there's no smoke. Of the two oven methods, I prefer the broiler method because the texture and taste are closer to peppers roasted on a griddle.

How to roast peppers in the oven using the broiler

• Place the peppers in the oven tray spaced apart (you can put aluminum foil under them if you don't want to clean the tray; don't use baking paper though, it will burn).
• Place the tray under the oven broiler set to maximum; position the tray on the top level, but keep about 10 cm distance from the heat source;
• Let them roast until the skin is well blackened, then turn the peppers to brown the other sides (I turn bell peppers on all 4 sides if they stay upright, kapia peppers just on two sides); they brown quite quickly so keep an eye on them; the exact time depends on your broiler temperature (for example at 250°C it takes about 3 minutes per side; at 200°C it takes about 5 minutes per side);

How to roast peppers in a classic oven:

• Place the peppers in the oven tray (with baking paper if you want easier cleanup)
• Roast them in the oven for 45 minutes at maximum temperature, approximately 250°C
• Turn them every 10-15 minutes so they char on all sides

Differences between the 3 roasting methods:

• The best are peppers roasted on a griddle over wood fire; their smoky taste is unmatched by other methods; the skin chars well but the flesh remains firm after peeling and keeps its shape.
• Next are peppers roasted on a stovetop griddle; they have a smoky taste from the charred parts in contact with the griddle; their flesh also remains firm after peeling
• Peppers roasted in the oven under the broiler are quite similar to griddle-roasted ones; they get a smoky taste from the skin charred under the broiler; however their flesh is slightly softer than griddle-roasted peppers; no smoke indoors
• Peppers roasted in a classic oven have only a slight smoky taste; their flesh softens the most, but in some recipes this can be an advantage; no smoke; takes the longest to roast

How to peel roasted peppers:

• Put the roasted peppers in a deep bowl and sprinkle with salt
• Cover the bowl with foil or a lid and let them "sweat" for 10-15 minutes; this way the skin will peel off much more easily; plus they'll cool down so you can handle them without problems
• Then peel the blackened skin off the pepper; if you chose uniform peppers and they browned all over, the skin will come off very easily; in areas that didn't brown you'll need to work a bit harder
• Then gently pull the stem and the core with most of the seeds will come out very easily; if seeds remain inside, keep a bowl of water nearby and remove the seeds by frequently dipping your hand in the water
• When peeling the peppers, hold them over a bowl to collect the juice they release