Sauce Basquaise

Peel and chop the onion, put in a thick bottomed saucepan with a tablespoonful of olive oil over a lowish heat and slowly soften without browning. Peel and crush three cloves of garlic and stir into the cooking onion.

Top and tail the peppers, cut in half, and cut out and discard the pith and seeds. Cut the pepper into one inch/2.5 cm slices and then into thin strips. When the onion mixture is fairly soft, add the pepper strips and soften stirring from time to time.

If used, chop the proscuitto into fine dice and add to the peppers. Strip the leaves of the thyme and chop to deliver a tablespoonful.

Meanwhile put the tomatoes into boiling water, take out and remove the skin and discard the pith and pips. Add the tomatoes to the onions/peppers and mash down over a medium heat. When soft, add the two teaspoonfuls of piment/paprika and chopped thyme and simmer for five minutes or so then take off the heat, and put to one side.