Steeped in tradition

Food writer GEORGINA HAYDEN presents classic plant-based recipes from the Mediterranean, Middle East and Eastern Europe.

- GEORGINA HAYDEN

Bećar is the word for bachelor in northern Serbia, and there are many tales as to how this dish got its name: it was something a single man could make easily after a night out, or perhaps it was a typical dinner of the men who used to tend fields of summer produce. However it came about, if you ever look at a recipe and dismiss it based on the simplicity of the ingredients list, then this is one of the best examples I can think to show you how much be achieved with careful cooking. These slow-cooked peppers are so intensely sweet, I guarantee they'll stop you in your tracks. You'll often find different proteins cooked amongst the peppers - pork being a popular choice, chicken and eggs, too - but during times of fasting, they are cooked straight up. And to be honest, you don't miss the meat at all. This is one of the most versatile dishes to have a stash of in your fridge while fasting.

BEĆAR PAPRIKAŠ: SLOW-COOKED PEPPERS

4 onions

4 garlic cloves

10 peppers, a mixture of red, yellow and orange ones

5 ripe tomatoes

100ml sunflower oil

1 tsp each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper a few flat-leaf parsley sprigs, optional

Peel and finely slice the onions and garlic. Halve the peppers, remove and discard the core and se and cut into even-sized pieces, about 2-3cm. Score a cross in the top of the tomatoes, place in a heatproof bowl (or pan) and cover with boiling water. Leave for a minute or two, until the skin starts to come away from the flesh, and drain. Peel the tomatoes and then roughly slice or chop the flesh.