Hungarian Lecso

Ingredients

• 8 sweet peppers, deseeded, cut into 2cm chunksuse a mix of colours if possible for the best flavour and appearance
• 3 tbsp sunflower oillard is traditional and adds excellent depth if you are not cooking vegan
• 2 onions, halved and finely sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprikaregular sweet paprika works but lacks some of the authentic depth
• ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
• 500 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes if good fresh ones are not available
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1½ tsp flaky sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Contains: sulphites.

Method

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large, heavy-based casserole or deep saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring regularly, for 12 minutes until very soft, golden, and beginning to caramelise at the edges.About 12 min
2. Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat briefly, then stir in the sweet paprika and hot smoked paprika. This step is important — paprika burns easily and becomes bitter if added directly to a hot pan with no moisture. Stir the spices through the oily onions for 30 seconds off the heat.About 2 min
3. Return the pan to a medium heat and add the sweet pepper chunks. Stir well to coat in the paprika oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the peppers have started to soften.About 10 min
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes, for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce is thick and jammy and the peppers are completely tender but still holding their shape.About 25 min
5. Taste the lecso and adjust the seasoning — it may need a little more salt or a touch more sugar depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes. Scatter over the parsley if using, and serve.