Ingredients
Scale
- 5 sweet bell peppers – a mixture of red, yellow, orange (no green peppers)
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove – crushed and minced
- 4 oz. prepared tomato sauce -or- 1 tbsp tomato paste mixed with 4 oz water
- 1 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
- Large handful of Sicilian green olives – chopped and pitted
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Any combination of fresh basil, oregano and/or parsley
Instructions
- Clean and slice the peppers into ½-inch strips, removing all the interior seeds and membranes
- Place a heavy-bottom pot or a large sauté pan (either with with lid) over medium-low heat. Add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and the red pepper flakes and heat. Add the onions and minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Cover the pot and cook the onions and garlic until soft, stirring occasionally (about 5-7 minutes). If the onions start to burn, lower the heat and add a bit more olive oil.
- Add the sliced peppers with another pinch of salt. Stir well and cover. Cook on medium-low heat until the peppers begin to soften, about 30 minutes. Check and stir occasionally. If the peppers start to burn, lower the heat and add a little water to the pan.
- Add the prepared tomato sauce (or tomato paste mixture) and some of the herbs, reserving the remainder of the herbs for a garnish. Stir and cover. Cook until the peppers are very soft but not soupy – about 30 minutes.
- Stir in the wine vinegar and olives and gently cook for 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and taste for salt.
- Serve hot, room temperature or cold–all these options work well–garnishing with the remaining herbs.