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August 15, 2016 By Deborah Dal Fovo 2 Comments

The Sweet Taste of Summer
Peperonata Crostini

Italian Chef Deborah Dal Fovo serves her delicious Peperonata Crostini in the garden.

When life gives you peppers, you make Peperonata. Then you make Peperonata Crostini to accompany a pre-dinner glass of wine to tease the taste buds and get the party started. That’s exactly what I did this summer in Italy. We invited last minute guests to dinner and I needed bite size appetizers to serve with the aperitivi. When my friend walked into the kitchen with an armful of sun-ripened peppers freshly picked from her garden, I just had to turn them into one of my favorite summer dishes.

Peperonata gets its name from the main ingredient in this dish: peppers. And more precisely, bell peppers called peperoni in Italian. But unlike other preparations that grill, roast or sauté these peppers to play up their sharp, often bitter flavor, peperonata takes a different approach to bring out another side of this capsicum—the sweet side. The result is a magical marriage of flavors that is pure culinary alchemy.

Peperonata - a delectable sweet and savory Italian dish featuring colorful ribbons of bell peppers stewed with onions, garlic and tomato. Delicious treat served with roasted meats for on toasted bread crostini for an irresistible appetizer.

In peperonata, lithe ribbons of bright red bell peppers are gently stewed with thinly sliced onions, garlic, and a tinge of tomato until tender, silky and coated with a sweet, syrupy glaze. Fragrant bay leaves lend an aromatic note and a strategic splash of wine vinegar—added as almost an afterthought—gives the stew a surprising tangy finish that lingers on the palate and begs for more. Peperonata’s vibrant mélange of colorful ingredients provides eye candy for an exhilerating taste trifecta of sweet-sour-savory that seduces even the most reluctant pepper eater.

While classic peperonata is made with red bell peppers, I often mix it up by using a combination of red, yellow and orange to create a joyful presentation you can taste first with your eyes. This time, the home-grown peppers from my friend’s garden were a stunning shade of cardinal red and naturally variegated with orange and green streaks from various degrees of sun-kissed ripeness. I paired them with red Tropea onions from Calabria for more sweetness.

Colorful sun-ripened sweet bell peppers and red Tropea onions brighten up the stands at the farmers market.

Peperonata is one of those Italian dishes that every home cook should have in their culinary repertoire. It’s simple to prepare, takes relatively little time and is extremely versatile. Traditionally served warm as an Italian contorno, this vegetable side dish pairs exquisitely with roasted meats like pork, chicken or lamb. It can also be served at room temperature as a relish to accompany Italian salumi and cheeses for an antipasto. And in summer months, I love to serve peperonata as a colorful, tasty topping on toasted bread crostini for an irresistible hors d’oeuvre.

Peperonata - Multi-colored ribbons of sweet bell peppers are stewed with finely sliced onions, tomato and bay leaf in a vibrant sweet and savory dish.

I learned to make peperonata from my friend Carlo in Sirmione, Italy decades ago. Carlo was a man of few words but spared none in teaching me his secrets to making the perfect peperonata. First, he showed me how to gently cook thin slices of onion until translucent before tossing in peppers—meticulously cut into same size ribbons—to infuse more natural sweetness. Next, after adding “just enough” water muddled with some tomato paste “for color”, he tucked two perfumed bay leaves into the pan. “Stew it at a low simmer with the lid slightly askew…but only until the peppers are supple and barely tender when poked with the point of a knife. Don’t overcook or they will become limp and mushy.” Perhaps his best advice, though, was to add vinegar at the very end then boil uncovered to burn off the brash flavor and reduce it to a sweet, shiny glaze that “makes the peppers look like candy”. These little secrets make all the difference in the world and I’ve been preparing peperonata Carlo’s way every since.

Peperonata Crostini – Colorful, sweet and tangy Peperonata makes a vibrant and tasty topping for toasted bread as an irresistible appetizer.

Once the peperonata is made, all I do when guests arrive is toast bread slices in the oven and lovingly drape the peppers on top of each crostino. Here I used a country style Tuscan loaf we had on hand cut into quarter moon shapes. But I often use a dense crumb baguette cut into thin rounds that are easy to pick up and eat while balancing a wine glass in the other hand. Then I sit back, enjoy my own party, and savor the sweet taste of summer in every bite of peperonata crostini.

PEPERONATA CROSTINI
CROSTINI CON PEPERONATA

Created by Deborah Dal Fovo on August 13, 2016

Peperonata Crostini – Colorful, sweet and tangy Peperonata makes a vibrant and tasty topping for toasted bread as an irresistible appetizer. Peperonata is a delectable Italian side dish featuring colorful ribbons of red bell peppers stewed with onion, garlic, and hint of tomato in a sweet and savory melange of flavors. Traditionally served warm to accompany roasted meats, my recipe transforms peperonata into a festive, tasty topping on toasted bread crostini for an irresistible appetizer to offer with aperitivi.     © Copyright 2016 Deborah Dal Fovo. All rights reserved.

  • Prep Time: 20m
  • Cook Time: 40m
  • Total Time: 1h
  • Serves: 10

Ingredients

For the peperonata:

  • 4 large red bell peppers or mixture of red, yellow and orange (2 pounds/900g)
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons /30g unsalted butter
  • 1 large white onion or 2 sweet Tropea red onions, peeled, quartered and cut into thin half-moon slices
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced paper thin
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 2/3 cup water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • kosher or sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the crostini:

  • 1 loaf country style Italian bread or dense crumb baguette
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Wash, core and seed peppers then cut the flesh into 1/4-inch thick ribbons, eliminating any white pith.
  2. Heat the olive oil and butter In a saucepan over medium heat. Once butter melts, add the onions and garlic then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, reducing heat if needed to prevent browning.
  3. Add the peppers and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and sugar. Toss peppers in the cooking oils to coat then cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently.
  4. Pour the water and tomato paste mixture into pan then tuck in the bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover pan with a lid slightly askew to allow thin stream of vapor to escape. Cook at a gentle simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until peppers are supple and tender when pierced with point of a paring knife.
  5. Add the vinegar and stir to incorporate. Increase heat to medium and boil uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until harsh vinegar vapors evaporate and sauce thickens to a shiny glaze that coats the peppers.
  6. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Let the peperonata rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Can be served warm or at room temperature and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  7. To make the crostini, preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Cut the bread into 1/4 inch thick slices about 2 inches long. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Place in oven and toast bread until crisp on surface yet soft in center, 5 to 7 minutes.
  8. Drape a few ribbons of peperonata neatly on top of each crostino then drizzle with syrupy cooking juices and a thin stream of olive oil if desired.
Source: Deborah Dal Fovo for La Bella Vita - The Art of Italian Living
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Filed Under: Appetizers - Antipasti, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables

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Comments

  1. Antonella says

    August 31, 2016 at 11:41 am

    Deborah, this dish is not only delicious and conquered my tastebuds, but it was a huge success last week! Easy to prepare, in season, fresh, elegant, colorful, and delectable. I did not have the sweet onions from Tropea, but adding just one extra sprinkle of brown sugar was the adjustment I needed. I brought your Peperonata to the Forchette Tricolori (a group of Italian friends who meet to enjoy our Italian traditions and have a lot of fun) and some of them were hesitant to eat it at night… well, when everybody else started raving about this dish, then Peperonata was gone shortly after. Evviva!!! Looking forward to more exciting recipes…

    Reply
    • Deborah Dal Fovo says

      September 1, 2016 at 1:55 pm

      Cara Antonella,
      I’m thrilled that you made my peperonata and it was enjoyed by your friends. I tend to think that it’s irresistible and you just confirmed it with your lovely comment. I am anxious to get your feedback on future recipes.
      Best,
      Deborah

      Reply

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