![peperonata1 Peperonata base ingredient!](https://www.italiannotebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/peperonata1-300x400-1.jpg)
Bell peppers are no longer in the garden but in our freezer. We were recently snowed in and no salad in our fridge so I defrosted some peppers to make peperonata for dinner. As we ate, I asked my husband Pino what his mother usually served her four children along with the peperonata she made.
“Pane“, was the answer. Bread? Just bread? When I asked Pino if it was served alongside of some chicken or cheese or with eggs “because a protein is more filling”, Pino explained patiently, “Anna, we are not talking dietology here – or about nutrition. The point is hunger. Our stomachs were filled as best my mother could with what she had.” If you make this peperonata, you can serve it as a side dish or pair it with just a good thick slice of bread: the meal years ago of many a Sicilian household.
![peperonata2 Peperonata recipe holder, Signora Vincenza](https://www.italiannotebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/peperonata2-300x312-1.jpg)
Peperonata Recipe
Here’s the peperonata recipe of Pino’s wonderful mother, Signora Vincenza. If any is leftover, do not refrigerate: simply enjoy the next day at room temperature. (Pino was about 15 when they finally had a refrigerator. Leftover peperonata remained on the kitchen shelf overnight – but he doesn’t remember much ever “left over” of anything!)
Wash 5 or 6 bell peppers.
Slice into strips about 2 inches wide.
Cover stainless steel frying pan with olive oil.
Heat.
Add 2 whole garlic cloves and when garlic is golden, turn peppers into
sizzling oil, browning the pepper strips.
When peppers are blistered, pour in about 1 c. or more of wine vinegar.
Add about 1 1/2 tsp rock salt. Cook til wine vinegar is almost all evaporated.
In summer, add about 2 c. diced very ripe tomatoes (in other seasons, add 1 large can tomatoes).
Simmer until liquid of tomatoes evaporates.
Serve.
Note: all quantities are approximate as I learned this by watching my Sicilian mother-in-law make this dish. After all, “qb” (or quanto basta, i.e., “as much as necessary”) is the most common Italian cookbook annotation!
Buon appetito!
![peperonata3 Peperonata in the making!](https://www.italiannotebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/peperonata3-300x225-1.jpg)
Thanks to Jerome Spector for the image of the bell peppers!