Peperonata: how to cook a traditional Italian dish

Peperonata is a tasty and aromatic dish from Italian cuisine, the main ingredient of which is sweet peppers. This is a kind of stew that can be a stand-alone dish or used as a spread for sandwiches. We at joy-pup offer a recipe for making traditional Italian peperonata.

Ingredients:

• Sweet red pepper – 4 pieces
• Sweet yellow pepper – 2 pieces
• Sweet green pepper – 1 piece
• Onion – 1 piece
• Tomatoes – 4 pieces (or 1 can of tomatoes in their own juice)
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Olive oil – 3-4 tablespoons
• White wine vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• Sugar – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – to taste
• Ground black pepper – to taste
• Dried oregano – 1 teaspoon

Step-by-step preparation of peperonata

• Wash the peppers, remove the stems, seeds and internal partitions. Cut them into strips or cubes – whichever is more convenient for you.
• If you are using fresh tomatoes, pour boiling water over them to make it easier to remove the skin. Then cut them into cubes. If you have canned tomatoes, just use them as is.
• Peel the garlic and finely chop or press it through a press.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
• Add the chopped peppers to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes (or canned tomatoes). Stir all the ingredients together and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes, until they begin to break down and the peppers are completely soft.
• Pour in the white wine vinegar and add sugar, oregano, salt, and ground black pepper to taste. Mix well and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fragrant.
• Taste the peperonata and add more salt or pepper if needed. At the end of cooking, you can add fresh basil leaves for extra flavor (optional).

Peperonata can be served hot or cold. It goes well with bread, pasta, rice, or can be a great side dish for meat dishes.