Born and raised in Rome, Food Network star Giada’s unpretentious family style italian cooking is as genuine as her smile.
In this video, Giada prepares a simple creamy roasted red pepper soup with made with potatoes, mascapone cheese, and fresh croutons.
Visit Giada on the Food Network here for the written recipe.
A bit of red pepper trivia: The green peppers you buy are actually the red variety, simply picked before they have ripened to red. This explains why they are sweeter and more expensive than the green bells, as the farmers need to tend the crops for a longer period of time. The harvest time is typically late summer and autumn. The ripened red peppers are more nutrient rich, having 9 times the antioxidant carotene and twice the vitamin C of green peppers.
When choosing red peppers, look for those that feel heavy, have a wrinkle and blemish free skin, and a strong healthy stem. Select organic peppers if possible, as bell peppers are one of the most heavily fertilized vegetables.