Italian stewed peppers (Peperonata)

1. Wash the peppers (ideally a mix of red and yellow), remove the stalks and seeds and cut into 2 cm wide strips; slice the onion into thin half-rings.

2. In a wide, heavy-based frying pan, cook the onion with the crushed garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft.

3. Add the pepper strips, season with salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until they soften a little.

4. Add the peeled tomatoes crushed by hand and the sugar, stir and cook, half covered, over low heat for 25-30 minutes until the peppers are completely soft and the sauce is thick and glossy; remove the garlic.

5. Season with pepper and more salt if needed, and stir in the torn basil.

6. Serve hot or at room temperature with grilled meat, sausages or fish - it's also delicious on its own with bread.

Tip: It's very similar to Hungarian lecsó, but made with olive oil and basil and without paprika; it tastes even better the next day and keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge.