Anchovy and Roasted-Pepper Salad with Goat Cheese

By BobD

For Eataly's seafood dishes, Mario Batali enlisted the help of Dave Pasternack, chef-partner at his outstanding restaurant Esca. "This gives Dave another place to play with fish," Batali says. "Plus, I don't go to the Olympics without bringing my MVPs." Together they created this earthy salad with chopped cured anchovies in the dressing.

Ingredients

• 2 large red bell peppers
• 2 large yellow bell peppers
• 10 cracked Sicilian green olives
• 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Six 1-inch-thick slices of peasant bread
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 pound log soft goat cheese, cut into 12 rounds

Details

Servings 6
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from foodandwine.com

Preparation

Step 1

Roast the peppers directly over a gas flame or under the broiler until charred all over; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool. Discard the skin, stems and seeds; cut the peppers into 1-inch-wide strips.

In a bowl, stir the olives, anchovies, capers, rosemary, vinegar and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Fold in the roasted-pepper strips.

Light a grill. Grill the bread over high heat until lightly charred and crisp, 30 seconds per side. Lightly rub each bread slice with the garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil.

Arrange the goat cheese rounds on a large plate and pile the grilled bread alongside. Serve with the anchovy-and-pepper salad.