Recipe: Tartelettes aux Poivrons Rouges & Pignons (Red Pepper and Pine Nut Tartlets)

Serves 6 as a light main course or starter Pâte Brisée, see related recipe (see note*)

2 pounds red bell peppers, about 4 medium (see note**)

6 fillets dry-salted anchovies packed in salt or olive oil (see note***)

½ to 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

3 tablespoons pine nuts

Bakers parchment paper

Half a fresh red bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1. Prepare Pâte Brisée according to recipe directions.

2. To roast bell peppers: Arrange whole peppers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake 35 to 45 minutes in a preheated 400-degree oven, turning the peppers every 10 minutes or so, until their skins have dark spots and blisters all over. Remove from the oven and close the foil over the peppers to form an airtight package. Use an extra piece of foil if necessary. Let stand 15 minutes. Open foil and wait until peppers are just cool enough to handle. Pull out the stems; slice peppers open and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Remove the skin and set aside to cool.

3. Pat peppers with a paper towel. Combine with anchovies and Tabasco in a food processor and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (If not using right away, scrape into a bowl and refrigerate up to a day ahead.)

4. In a small skillet, combine pine nuts with 2 teaspoons of the anchovy oil (or substitute olive oil) and toast until golden. You can toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet if you prefer. Cool, cover and set aside until ready to use.

5. Remove pastry from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough into six equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll out dough thinly on a lightly floured surface. Use an overturned bowl (5 to 6 inches in diameter) as a guide to cut out a disk of dough, running a sharp knife closely against the rim of the bowl. Arrange the disks on the prepared baking sheet, pierce all over with a fork, and bake 15 minutes, watching them closely, until golden.

6. Remove from the oven. Spread each with 2 rounded tablespoons of the roasted pepper mixture, leaving a margin all around. Sprinkle with pine nuts, fresh bell pepper dice and parsley. Serve immediately with a salad of arugula or mixed greens, or cut in wedges for a fine appetizer.

Notes:

* Uncooked store-bought puff pastry sheets can be substituted for the pâte brisée in this recipe. Thaw according to package directions if frozen.

**A 14-ounce jar of roasted red bell peppers, packed in water, can be substituted for the fresh in this recipe. Drain well before using.

***Substitute 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, for the anchovies in this recipe.

From "Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen" by Clotilde Dusoulier