This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa at Home.  OMG, these were super good!  I roasted the peppers yesterday, as it’s quite a process, but really worth it!  You can buy roasted peppers in a jar or some gourmet grocery stores have them in the olive or antipasto bar in the deli.  To roast them at home, there are several methods you can use.  Ina suggested, roasting them at 500 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, turning twice during roasting.  Make sure your oven is relatively clean, as this high heat will burn any little bit of mystery substance at the bottom of your oven and make your kitchen and possibly whole house smell like a burnt funk.

After removing the pan from the oven, cover it tightly with foil for about 30 minutes.  This is where the magic happens.  As the peppers steam under the foil, the skin loosens and oils release.  When you take the foil off, the peppers will have deflated somewhat.  Be sure they are cool enough before handling.  The process is quite messy, but it’s really a fun hands on experience.  The stem as well as the peel and seeds remove easily from the peppers.  Do have a plate or non-absorbent surface to work on.  If not contained, the oils released from the peppers will go everywhere.  Add some olive oil, good balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt & pepper and capers to the roasted peppers and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Half your ciabatta bread horizontally and spread the bottom half generously with room temperature herbed goat cheese.  Add some of the pepper mixture.  Separate red onion slices into rings and arrange a few on top.  Sprinkle with whole or chiffonade basil.  The colors are amazing: red or orange or yellow (depending on what color peppers you use), a little green from the capers and basil, white from the goat cheese and purple from the onion.  This little sandwich has it all, explosive flavors, a combination of textures, and as I mentioned, wonderful colors.  And what’s more, you can enjoy this recipe year round!

Bon Appétit!