ingredients
5 large red capsicums
1/4 cup butter
1 small pickling onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup All purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 x 3 1/2 ounce cans tuna in oil, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2/3 cup All purpose flour, extra
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
olive oil, for deep-frying
method
1. Preheat the grill. Cut the peppers into quarters. Cook, skin-side-up, under a hot grill until the skin is black and blistered. Place in a plastic bag and leave to cool, then peel away the skin.
2. Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until bubbly and just beginning to change colour. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens and leaves the side of the pan. Stir in the tuna, parsley and some salt. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling onto the base end of each pepper strip, roll up and secure the end with a toothpick. Place the extra flour in a shallow dish, the eggs in a shallow bowl and combine the paprika and breadcrumbs in another shallow dish.
4. Coat the peppers in the flour, then the eggs, allowing the excess to drip away, then toss in the crumbs.
5. Fill a deep, heavy-based pan a third full of oil and heat to 180°C (350°F). The oil is ready when a cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in 15 seconds. Cook in batches for 2 minutes, or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on crumpled paper towels and remove the toothpicks. Serve warm or hot.
