SPICY CHILI PEPPERS STUFFED WITH TUNA, ANCHOVIES AND CAPERS
INGREDIENTI
500 g of round hot peppers
20 g of anchovies in oil
20 g of capers
100 g of tuna
Tulone extra-virgin olive oil (chili pepper flavored)
FOR COOKING THE CHILI PEPPERS:
250 g of white wine vinegar
250 g of white wine
2 leaves of laurel
Black pepper in grains
Oregano
3 juniper berries
3 cloves
Salt
PREPARATION
Start by rinsing the chili peppers thoroughly, then dry them and remove the upper part where the stalk is. Then, with a digger, go and remove their pulp and seeds, so as to clean them completely.
Meanwhile, pour white wine and vinegar into a pot, add all the spices (bay leaf, juniper, cloves, and oregano), season with salt and, as soon as the bottom is boiling, add the chili peppers and let them cook for 3-4 minutes at medium heat. Drain the chili peppers with a dry cloth, place them with the opening facing down and let them rest for at least 4-5 hours (they must be completely dry, so if the indicated time is not enough, leave them overnight).
In the meantime, sanitize the jars following the instructions of the Ministry of Health as indicated in the box at the bottom of the recipe. Now, move on to the preparation of the filling: drain the tuna, coarsely chop the anchovies and the capers; transfer the tuna into a mixer together with the chopped anchovies and capers. Blend just for a few moments in order to obtain a creamy and fairly smooth puree.
Pour the newly-obtained cream into a sac-à-poche and then start filling all the chili peppers.
Once they are all ready, gently place them in a sanitized glass jar, making sure to leave at least a couple of centimeters of space from the edge: arrange the chili peppers with the opening facing upwards. Then fill the jar with oil, leaving about 1 centimeter from the edge. Close with the cap, tightening it well but without excessive force, and move on to
the second phase, the boiling, or pasteurization, again, following the instructions of the Ministry of Health as indicated in the box at the bottom of the recipe. Once finished, test the vacuum seal by pressing the center of the cap. If there is no "click-clack" noise, the vacuum has been done correctly.