Recipe: Peperonata (Italian pepper stew)

Peperonata is a traditional Italian side dish made from peppers, tomatoes and onions that are simmered together so that all the flavors blend well. There are some minor differences in the recipe depending on the Italian region where the dish is made.

In this recipe we make a basic pepperonata in which the peppers are first grilled. To taste, you can add herbs at the end, such as basil or parsley, or a small chili pepper for some spice.

In a classic pepperonata, Italians use beautiful ripe, sweet local tomatoes that are available during the summer months. In another season it is better to opt for a can of good quality tomatoes. There is more flavor than the tomatoes that are available in the supermarket here. If necessary, add a teaspoon of sugar to soften the sourness of the canned tomatoes.

In addition to being a side dish, you can also use pepperonata as a topping for bruschetta or as a pasta sauce: puree half the pepperonata and cut the rest of the pepper into small pieces before mixing in the pasta. Buon appetito!

Ingredients for the pepperonata

Side dish for 4 people

• 4 peppers in different colors
• 1 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 can of good quality peeled tomatoes (e.g. San Marzano)
• extra virgin olive oil
• a pinch of salt
• fresh herbs such as basil or parsley (optional)
• 1 dried chili pepper or chili flakes (optional)

Preparation of the pepperonata

Peel the peppers

1. Preheat the oven to 220° C or set the grill to the highest setting.
2. Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise.
3. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and grill them until they start to blacken.
4. Remove the peppers from the oven and put them in a resealable bag and seal the bag. Let it rest for at least fifteen minutes.
5. Remove the peppers from the bag, remove the stem, seeds and skin. Cut into strips.

 Making the sauce

6. Cut the onion into half rings and squeeze the garlic clove.
7. Heat a dash of olive oil in a pan, add the onion and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes. Add the garlic halfway through.
8. Add the pepper cut into strips and the canned tomatoes (for whole tomatoes: chop them finely first). Simmer for 20 minutes and season with a little salt.
9. If desired, season with fresh herbs and chili pepper.