Ricotta-filled peppers with salsa verde

Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit down one side of each pepper: it should start next to the stem and not be so deep that it pierces through the other side. Arrange the peppers on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 20 minutes until soft and well-coloured. Remove from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, carefully scoop out the seeds (a teaspoon helps here).

While the peppers are roasting, put all the ingredients for the salsa verde in a food processor and season with ground black pepper. Pulse a few times – you want it to have some texture – then transfer to a bowl until ready to use.

Put the remaining ingredients, apart from about ¼ of the toasted pine nuts, in another bowl and use a spatula to combine. When the peppers are ready, spoon 2 tbsp of this mixture into each one, spreading it along the whole inside of each pepper half. Spoon over the salsa verde, followed by the reserved pine nuts, then serve.