Roasted Bell Pepper Antipasto

This one is from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook. I made it without the green peppers and used yellow and orange bell peppers along with the red ones. It's listed in the appetizer section, but it made a great side dish. They suggest it could be served with some Italian salamis and cold meats.

3 red bell peppers
2 yellow or orange bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 Tbsp olive oil
few drops of hot pepper sauce
4 canned artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
salt and ground black pepper
basil leaves, to garnish

Serves 6

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a foil-lined baking sheet and place the whole peppers on the foil. Bake for about 45 minutes, until beginning to char. Remove from the oven, cover with a dish towel and let cool for 5 minutes.

2. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Remove the core and seeds from the peppers and peel away the skins. Slice each pepper into thick strips.

3. Beat together the vinegar, oil, and hot pepper sauce, then season with a little salt and pepper.

4. Toss the peppers with the sliced artichokes, tomatoes, and garlic. Pour the dressing over and sprinkle the basil leaves on top.