Just about every Italian I have spoken to about barbecuing capsicums or peppers says that putting them directly into the fire to cook gives them a flavour that’s so sublime, no gas grill can match it. This method is great, as the direct contact with the coals speeds the process along.
I once worked with the Sicilian director Carmelo Musca. Gesticulating passionately, he described the way his mother prepared sweet peppers. With my imagination stimulated, I could smell the sweet, burnt skin blistering to reveal the lush flesh impregnated with the soul of the fire.
These peppers work a treat on Bruschetta. It’s best to use long, pointed peppers. The great thing about using a plastic bag when preparing them is that you can leave all the charred and discarded material inside the bag, which you can then tie up and dispose of without any mess