Albanian Fërgesë Peppers and Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
• 1 small onion or 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crusty bread, for serving

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 400F (200C). Heat the oil or butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
2. Add the diced peppers and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until they have slumped and their edges are lightly browned. Browning the peppers is what gives fergese its sweetness.
3. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; paprika burns and turns bitter if it sits longer than that over direct heat.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened enough that a spoon dragged across the pan leaves a clear trail.
5. Take the pan off the heat and scatter the crumbled feta over the surface, pressing some of it into the sauce and leaving the rest on top.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese has softened and browned at the edges and the sauce is bubbling around it.
7. Rest for 5 minutes so the cheese firms slightly, then finish with the fresh herbs and serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges and bread for scooping.

Allergen note: Contains gluten and dairy.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.