Prep: 6 minutes; Cook: 2 minutes

Strawberries grow bountifully outside of Rome, where they cover the hillsides surrounding volcanic Lake Nemi. Because of this, these berries are often incorporated into simple Italian desserts. It may seem odd to the American palate to add black pepper to strawberries, but these two ingredients are natural food partners. The spicy pepper accentuates the flavor of the sweet, juicy strawberries.