Peperonata (Italian Stewed Bell Peppers)

Preparing the vegetables

In season, when there are lots of vegetables, you can make stewed peppers from different kinds of bell pepper, which come in almost every color. Take a colorful assortment so the finished dish looks bright. Do not use chili pepper or garlic: you do not need extra sharp aroma and flavor. If you have no ripe tomatoes, it is better to use a little natural tomato juice than tomato paste. For more aroma you will need a sprig of fresh basil. In this dish we use black olives, but not the dyed kind, and capers.

1. Prepare the tomatoes: dip ripe tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then peel them and remove the seeds, and chop the flesh with a knife into a coarse puree. By the way, some authentic recipes call for rather elaborate tomato sauces for this dish.

2. Cut the peppers and onion. Wash the peppers, remove the seeds and stems, then cut them into narrow strips lengthwise. Peel the onion and cut it into strips, preferably along the fibers, so that it keeps its shape during cooking.

   

Frying

3. Fry the onion: heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the sliced onion until it is clearly browned. Fried onion becomes sweet and loses its sharpness, which is important for a delicate flavor. Instead of regular onion you can fry shallots or leeks.

4. Fry the peppers: add the bell pepper strips, stir, and fry for 10 minutes, stirring, until the pepper is soft. Then add the tomato flesh.

   

Stewing

5. Season the vegetables and cover: salt the vegetables, then add the olives and capers. No other spices are used. But if you like, add a pinch of oregano to boost the flavor. Reduce the heat under the skillet to low (below medium), put a sprig of fresh basil into the stewed peppers and cover the skillet with a lid.

   

6. Stew the vegetables under a lid over low heat for 25-30 minutes. This keeps the pepper strips in shape and brings out their flavor and aroma. Bell pepper is a fairly delicate vegetable and does not need very long stewing: it should become soft but hold its shape. If there is too much liquid in the skillet, remove the lid and turn up the heat so the moisture evaporates. Throw away the basil sprig. If you like, add a few drops of balsamic vinegar and fresh basil leaves to the finished dish.

   

Serving

7. Serve peperonata either warm or chilled, as you prefer. Before serving, garnish the dish with thinly sliced sweet red onion, and you can add a few more olives if you like them. Serve with fresh bread, meat and bruschetta.

   

   The peppers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.