Halve and deseed the peppers, dry and cut them into 2 cm (l in) wide strips. Season the oil with the herbs and salt and pepper, sprinkle over the peppers, cover and leave them to marinate for 1 hour.

Cut the ham into 5-cm/2-in wide strips. Grease an ovenproof dish with a little of the seasoned oil. Wrap a few strips of pepper at a time in a strip of ham, arrange the rolls in the dish and sprinkle with the remaining seasoned oil.

Pour the hot water around the rolls and cover the dish with aluminium foil.

Bake on the second shelf from the bottom of a hot oven (220°C, 425°F, gas 7) for 30 minutes.

Five minutes before the end of the cooking time cut the cheese into strips, arrange the strips in a criss-cross pattern over the rolls and return the rolls to the oven until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with the chives.

Serve with: potatoes baked in foil, topped with soured cream.