Peppers are a vital part of Mediterranean cuisine – not only are they incredibly versatile and delicious when served raw, grilled, roasted or stewed, they also add a real burst of colour and sweetness to dishes. Although they're available year-round these days, they tend to be at their best in the summer months.

Typically, roasted red peppers are used to add smokey sweetness to classic Italian dishes like Amy Gulick's pollo alla romana, Filippo Trapello's peperonata and this delicious red pesto from Sally Abé.

You can get a bit more inventive if you want as well. This beautiful provolone and ricotta-stuffed squid recipe from Ernesto Iaccarino uses yellow peppers to create a vibrant sauce, whilst Caterina Ceraudo does something similar with red peppers and serves it with ricotta gnocchi.

As always, don't be afraid to experiment with cooking techniques to get different flavours and textures out of your peppers. Check out our collection of pepper recipes below for some inspiration.