Piperies Tiganites Makedonias (Πιπεριές Τηγανητές Μακεδονίας)

Piperies tiganites in Macedonia are whole green horn peppers, fried in olive oil until their skins blister and their bodies slump into softness. They are not chopped, stuffed, or dressed up. They come to the table with salt, a little vinegar, and enough oil left on the plate for bread to understand its job.

The pepper matters first. Choose thin-skinned piperies keras, the long pale green ones sold in summer markets, because they soften quickly and wrinkle beautifully in the pan. The one method that protects both the dish and your hands is simple: prick each pepper before it touches the oil. A whole pepper traps steam. Give that steam a small escape and the pepper blisters quietly instead of bursting like a bad-tempered thing.

I serve these as I know them from northern tables, beside feta or grilled fish, often before the main pot has even made up its mind. The region is the dish's surname, but this one also belongs to every Greek summer kitchen that has good peppers, hot oil, and someone waiting with bread.