Sicilian peperonata or “peperonata siciliana” is a traditional vegetarian recipe based on peppers. It is a very versatile preparation that can be served cold on a bruschetta, or hot as a garnish to accompany a meat or fish dish.
Ingredients:
4 peppers of each color (red, green, yellow, orange)
300 gr. crushed tomato or passata
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
A handful of black olives (optional)
Some basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper
The preparation of Sicilian peperonata is very simple and you just need to observe certain details to obtain a dish full of flavor.
How to prepare the best Sicilian peperonata:
Start by heating a little extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. First slice and add the garlic to flavor the oil. When they begin to “dance”, add the julienned onion, salt, and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the peppers into sticks, discarding the seeds and the white part inside. Add them to the pan when the onion is soft, salt and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 additional minutes.
Then it will be time to add the crushed tomato and reduce until most of its liquid has evaporated and the preparation has amalgamated. At the end, add a handful of pitted black olives, if desired. Adjust with salt and pepper and decorate with some basil leaves.
Tips and tricks:
- Sicilian peperonata can be served as a side dish, but it is also very tasty and refreshing as a cold and light summer dish.
- If you decide to serve it cold, you may need to salt the preparation a little more generously than usual, so that it does not turn out bland.
- The detail of choosing peppers of different colors not only provides greater color and visual appeal, but also reinforces the flavor palette of the Sicilian peperonata. Ultimately, it is the same vegetable, but in different stages: the green ones with their typical slightly bitter taste are still immature, the red ones reach the maximum point of ripening, while the yellow and orange ones are in an intermediate state.
- Sometimes the recipe is usually finished by adding a little vinegar and sugar to the peperonata, to continue heating it for a few minutes. In this way, the peperonata takes on an additional sweet and sour touch.
- These types of recipes often take it up a notch by using Tropea onions, which are a type of red onion famous for their sweet flavor. Gaeta or Leccino olives seem especially tasty to me and very suitable for topping the peperonata, but surely any type of quality olive will be in tune with the recipe.