Peperonata (Sweet Bell Peppers With Olive Oil, Onion, and Tomatoes) Recipe

Daniel Gritzer
Peperonata (Sweet Bell Peppers With Olive Oil, Onion, and Tomatoes) Recipe
*
  • Yield:Serves 4 to 8 as a side dish
  • Active time:1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total time:1 hour 30 minutes
  • Rated: 5.0

A Southern Italian side dish of sweet bell peppers melted in olive oil with onion, garlic, and tomatoes. [Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Few dishes feature bell peppers as the one and only main ingredient, which makes Southern Italian peperonata not only a delicious summer side dish, but also a fairly unique one. Starring sweet summer bell peppers stewed in olive oil with onions, garlic, and tomato, it's wonderful with roasted meats or spooned onto slices of country bread.

Why It Works

All the flavor of deeply sweet summer bell peppers, concentrated. Read the Whole Story
  • Slow cooking over very low heat breaks down the vegetables and concentrates their flavors.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 6 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 4 pounds red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers (about 6 large bell peppers), stemmed, seeded, and sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 cup pureed tomatoes (see note above)
  • 2 sprigs basil or oregano
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar

Directions

  1. 1.

    In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just starting to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in onions, increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 20 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Add tomato and basil or oregano sprigs and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat to maintain simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are very soft, about 1 hour. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt. Stir in vinegar (see note above). Discard herb sprigs. Serve right away, or chill, then serve reheated, slightly chilled, or at room temperature.

Daniel Gritzer
Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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