The Winter Vegetable Series, Part 1: Peperonata

Name: Peperonata
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 large sweet onion, chopped fine; 1 large red onion, chopped fine; 6 peppers (assorted), washed, seeded and sliced into strips; 1 small (400 gram) can plum tomatoes; Salt and pepper; White wine (as necessary)

Our contributor kicks off a Winter Vegetable series with a sauteed pepper dish that works in so many ways.

By Chiara Montalto Giannini

9:00 AM EDT on March 20, 2024

While the month of March is known to be unpredictable — in like a lion, out like a lamb — the vegetables this time of year are, sadly, very predictable, at least here in the northeastern part of the U.S. While the days start to get longer and the glimmer of warmer weather is palpable, there’s not much fresh produce available.

And if, like me, you eat less meat or observe meatless Fridays, that can mean the same few dishes always in rotation.

But with a little creativity and direction, we can find ways to enjoy a robust and delicious March using what’s available in the vegetable section of the market.

So, with this in mind, I’m offering a series of recipes and ideas for winter vegetables in different and unexpected ways. Here is the first: Pepperonata.

Peperonata is one of those staples I grew up with that I frequently make. It is a dish made of peppers, onions, and tomatoes. It’s easy to make and you can use pepperonata in so many ways, as a side dish that pairs with literally any meat or fish, adding it to a frittata, or spooned over pasta as a sauce.

My personal favorite use of pepperonata is as the star of the show, by itself with a little semolina bread and some cheese on the side. You can even put this out on your antipasto platter.

One thing is for sure, regardless of how you serve your pepperonata, this is a dish that’s best made the day before as the flavors increase overnight.

Enjoy!

See part 2 of the series, Radicchio Risotto.