Roasted Capsicums, Charred Onions, Chickpeas, Olives & Ricotta

A simple dish that shows off the amazing flavour that comes from roasting your red capsicums to bring out their sweet richness. Perfect to throw down as a starter or snack with some charred bread or alongside a spread of grilled meat and other vegetable or grain dishes. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 red capsicums
• 3 brown onions, peeled, thickly sliced into wedges
• 1 tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed & dried well
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt, black pepper

• 2 cups ricotta
• Zest 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
• Salt, black pepper

• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 cup each picked mint, coriander, parsley
• 1/4 cup shallots, finely sliced

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

1. Preheat an oven to 160°C and line 2 trays with baking paper.
2. Place the capsicums and onions onto one tray and toss with half the oil, some salt and pepper. Place the drained, dried chickpeas onto the other, toss with the remaining oil, cumin, paprika, some salt and pepper. Roast both trays for 25 minutes. Check the capsicums, you want them collapsing a little and skins coming away from the flesh.
3. Continue cooking the chickpeas until crisp and the onions to char, about 15 more minutes. Remove the trays. Place the onion into a mixing bowl and set the chickpeas aside.
4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, lemon zest, garlic, chilli and seasoning. Set aside.
5. Place the cooked capsicum into a bowl and cover the bowl with a tea towel for 10 minutes. This helps the skin to be peeled from the flesh. Peel the capsicums, remove all seeds and tear the flesh into large strips. Place the capsicum, cooked onions, olives and herbs into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and dress with the olive oil and lemon juice.
6. Spoon the ricotta over a serving platter and scatter the capsicum salad and crispy chickpeas.

Recipe by Tom Walton. Check out his site here & Insta here.