spring friggitelli peppers Recipe
spring friggitelli peppers
friggitelli peppers gracing the spring markets
I am a seasonal-vore. I have developed an aversion for foods that are grown in the wrong conditions (i.e. greenhouse) and out of season. They never taste good, no matter what you do to them. Vegetables need earth and sun to be right. An eggplant in January? It’s like rubber foam. A tomato in March? A bag of water. And peppers? the real luscious peppers, not those winter ghosts. How long do I need to wait? I have been waiting since September!
Luckily the friggitelli have just arrived. Friggitelli or friarielli are Italian frying peppers not dissimilar to Cubanelles. They are recognizable by their skinny conical shape and thin flesh.
They are sweet, tender, crispy, lightly fruity. I am so happy to welcome you, little brothers.
Recipe
- 1/2 kg (1 lb) small red and green peppers, cleaned and split in half
- 2 ripe large plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large clove of garlic, finely minced
- 3-4 basil leaves, torn into pieces
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook , stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, about 5 min. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the tomatoes, season and cook one more minute. Stir in the basil leaves, season and set aside to cool. The flavor improves after a few hours so prepare them in advance if you can and refrigerate until needed. You can use them as a side dish or re-warm them and toss with pasta, a little fresh chile pepper and a sprinkle of grated pecorino.
Serve 4 as a side dish and 2-3 as a pasta sauce.
a spring treat, friggitelli in a light garlic and tomato sauce