Pimientos del piquillo rellenos de queso Roncal

A simple and tasty tapa that any home cook can create in minutes using the sweet piquillo peppers from Lodosa and creamy sheep’s milk cheese from the Pyrenees mountains.

Yield: 4 Servings
5 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, preferably Pedro Ximenez
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 8-ounce jars piquillo peppers (about 12 peppers)
2 ounces Roncal (Spanish sheep’s milk cheese), cut into 2-inch sticks
Fresh thyme sprigs
Fresh parsley sprigs

1. Whisk 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, shallots and scallions together in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut a small slit into each piquillo pepper and slide a stick of cheese into each pepper.

2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add the peppers and brown on both sides until the cheese begins to melt, about 30 seconds. Transfer the peppers to a serving platter, drizzle with some of the dressing and sprinkle with leaves from thyme and parsley sprigs. Serve immediately.

Photograph by Thomas Schauer