Charred pepper tastes nothing like fried pepper: the smoke that passes into the flesh while the skin burns cannot be imitated with any spice. The oven works, and so does a gas ring. What matters is waiting until the skin has gone black and letting the peppers steam in a covered bowl before you peel them.
Ingredients
For charring
For the soup
For the top
Method
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Char the peppers
Heat the oven to 230 degrees. Lay the peppers and tomatoes on a tray and roast for 25 minutes until the skins blacken, turning them once.
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Let them steam
Transfer them to a bowl and cover it. Leave for 10 minutes; the steam lifts the skin away from the flesh.
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Peel
Clean off the skins and the pepper seeds. Keep the liquid that has collected in the bowl, it goes into the soup.
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Make the base
Cook the onion in olive oil for 4 minutes and the garlic for 1 minute. Add the potato and the hot water and cook for 15 minutes.
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Combine and blend
Add the charred peppers and tomatoes to the pan with the salt and pepper flakes, and blend smooth with a hand blender.
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Final simmer
Simmer for 5 more minutes. Ladle into bowls, put a spoonful of strained yoghurt in the middle and serve with basil.
Tips
- Do not peel the charred peppers under running water; the smoky flavour washes away with it. Peel them dry, by hand.
- The potato is there for body. Leave it out and the soup stays thin; a slice of stale bread can take its place.
- If you cannot get fresh peppers in winter, jarred roasted peppers work; 400 grams is enough.
- Line the tray with foil when you char the peppers; the sugar that runs out bakes onto the tray and is hard to clean.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.