Bagna cauda - A delicious hot Italian sauce to be served with fresh vegetables

Traditional recipes from Piedmont.
Arrange peppers on a rack on a foil-lined grill pan. Grill close to the heat, turning frequently until all sides are slightly charred and blistered. Let them cool until they can be handled. Peel off the charred skin. Cut out the stem and core, scraping out any seeds. Cut them into strips lengthways.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Mash the anchovies and 4 garlic cloves with a knife; melt the mixture in the olive oil, in a little saucepan over a very low flame.
Remember not to bring to the boil! The best solution would be to heat the sauce in a bain-marie. Pour the tomatoes over the peppers with the other clove of garlic, sliced.
Stir and add the sauce.
Serve very hot.
You can keep the sauce hot in a container over a spirit stove placed in the center of the table, like a fondue Bourguignonne.

Note

• - This delicious sauce is not to be recommended if close encounters are intended!
• - You can prepare only the sauce and then serve it, very hot, with fresh vegetables (carrots, peppers, celery, savoy, radish, cardoons and boiled potatoes).
• - If you want, you can dip the cloves of garlic, sliced, in a cup of milk for about two hours before using it.

What's the right wine ?

Our suggestion is: Freisa d'Asti (wine from Piedmont)