Red pepper and fennel scones

Directions

1. Fire roast the bell pepper over the burner of a gas stove (or under a broiler), turning often, until the skin is blistering and getting black spots on the outside. Put the pepper into a paper bag, close the bag and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Remove from the bag, and once it is cool enough, core the pepper, peel off the skin, and dice it.
2. Toss the diced pepper and shredded cheese with one Tbs. of the flour.
3. Preheat your oven to 400F.
4. In a dry frying pan, toast the fennel seeds over medium-high heat for just a minute or so until they start smelling fragrant. Transfer them immediately out of the frying pan, so as to not overcook them. Grind with a mortar and pestle.
5. In a mixing bowl, stir together the fennel, flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. With a pastry cutter (or 2 knives, or using your fingers but working quickly), cut in the butter until you have a coarse meal with pea-size lumps of butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
6. Whisk together the cream and 2 eggs, then pour into the well. Stir until it just begins to blend together, then stir in the peppers and cheese and mix until everything is just barely incorporated.
7. Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently for just a half-minute until it is blended, then pat the dough out into a ¾ inch thick circle. Cut the circle into 8 triangles and place these on a greased baking sheet, and inch apart from each other.
8. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash (if desired, sprinkle them with just a touch of cracked black pepper). Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire cooling rack. Eat them as soon as possible because scones are by far the best when they’re fresh!