Peperonata Recipes

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Stir potatoes, tomatoes, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, water, tomato paste, capers, and basil into the pot. Cook until potatoes and peppers are soft, adding more water if needed, about 45 minutes. Season with pepper.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss the peppers with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, coating them evenly. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast, turning the peppers once about halfway through cooking, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the skins have started to blister and pull away from the flesh. Remove from the oven, place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Remove the plastic wrap and peel the peppers. The skins should slide right off. Tear the peppers into roughly equal pieces, about ½ inch wide, discarding the stems, seeds and membranes.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Dab the capers dry with a paper towel and add them to the oil. Fry the capers for about a minute, or until they bloom and become crispy. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until the paste turns brick red. Stir in the onion, fennel, chili flakes and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the onion and fennel are tender.
• Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, dislodging any browned bits, and stir in the peppers. Cook for a few minutes, taste for seasoning, and adjust with more salt or vinegar if needed. Can be served warm or stored in a tightly covered container for up to two weeks.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste turns brick red, about 5 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and 1 cup water, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the peppers are very soft, about 30 more minutes.
• Uncover, increase the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 20 to 25 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the basil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Cook 3 sliced garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, 1 minute. Add 1 pound stemmed baby bell peppers. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt; top with chopped oregano.

Steps:

• Peter's Garlic Oil, add olive oil to a butter melting pot. Remove rough end of garlic cloves and slice each in half lengthwise. Do not remove skin. Place them in the pot with oil. Add Tuscany seasoning and red pepper flakes.
• Place on medium heat until the olive oil begins to lightly sizzle. Reduce heat, maintaining a low simmer. It will take several hours before garlic richly tans and becomes soft and sweet. You can hasten the process with slightly higher heat but be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove garlic skins when released.
• Fully char peppers on all sides. Start by placing peppers on grill grate top side down followed by bottoms then grill sides. Be careful not to pierce peppers so all of their wonderful juices are retained. Place in a tray with sides for additional protection while cooling.
• Peel and cut onion in ¼ inch slices. Brush with garlic oil and char both sides on the grill.
• When peppers have cooled, remove charred skin over a large bowl to capture juices released. Break peppers in half by hand. Remove core and seeds. Don't be concerned when some fall into the liquid. Cut peppers in ½ inch strips lengthwise.
• Over medium heat with the oil from Pete's garlic oil, finishing cooking onions by sauteing them in a large pot until translucent. Add tomatoes, a few grinds of black pepper, the remaining pinch of red pepper flakes, vinegar, basil and juices from the pepper. When mixture begins to boil, lower heat and cover, maintaining a simmer. In about 15 minutes remove cover and stir in peppers and the pot roasted garlic cloves. Stir occasionally until much of the liquid is condensed. Salt to taste. Cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate, even overnight until ready to eat. Serve at room temperature, warm or hot.