PANEER STUFFED BANANA PEPPERS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Directions

1. First make the tomato sauce : If you’re using fresh tomatoes - bring a pot of water to the boil and drop the tomatoes into it. After a few minutes you’ll start to notice their skins coming off. Drain, peel back their skins completely and purée them in a blender.
2. Heat olive oil in a pot and add the chopped onions and garlic. Once lightly browned, tip in the tomatoes, chilli flakes, oregano, sugar, pepper, and salt. Bring it up to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Take off the heat, stir in the torn basil leaves and set aside.
3. To prepare the banana peppers (flame roasted method - recommended) : Roast the peppers on an open flame, making sure to turn them around constantly with tongs. You want them to be almost blackened and charred on all sides. Quickly pop the pepper into a zip-lock bag before you continue with the rest.
4. Once all the peppers are roasted and in the bag, let it sit for 5 minutes, by which time the skins will have softened. Take them out one by one and peel back their skins using your fingers. Gently remove the seeds and outer membrane, making sure to keep the peppers intact.
5. To prepare the peppers (oven roasted) : Remove the stalks and slit lengthwise on one side (essentially opening it up flat, NOT halving into two pieces). Remove and discard the seeds and white membrane from the inside using your fingers (please wear gloves for this step, I learned it the hard way).
6. Lay them out on a baking tray, drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and roast in a preheated 180 C (360 F) oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Remove and set aside to cool slightly, before peeling back the outer skins. Discard the skins.
7. Crumble the paneer into fine pieces in a blender and season with salt and pepper. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, stuff them with the paneer and lay them on a single layer in your baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce on top of the peppers and sprinkle over the grated cheese.
8. Bake in a preheated 160 C (320 F) oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until the tomato sauce is bubbling, and the cheese is fully melted. Serve with warm tortillas to be eaten like a wrap, or just as is.