Pepperonata

This is a great Italian preserve, a little sweet and a little sour. It’s great for serving with some crusty bread, meat and cheese, or adding to a festive table.

Pepperonata. Credit: The Chef's Garden

• serves

  5

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• 6 red capsicums (peppers)
• 1 large red onion, halved and sliced thin
• 6 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 50 ml aged red wine vinegar
• 30 g sugar
• ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped roughly
• ½ cup picked basil leaves
• ¼ cup picked and chopped oregano leaves
• 2 tbsp baby capers, rinsed well
• Salt and pepper

Serves 4-6.

Instructions

1. Over fire or grill, rub a small amount of oil on capsicums (you could use spray oil here) and cook the skin on all sides until charred. If using an oven place oven on maximum temp, place peppers on a wire rack and cook until the skin is blistered. Remove and place in an air-tight container to sweat.
2. Meanwhile, add the remaining olive oil to a saucepan and bring up to a high heat. Add onion and garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and translucent.
3. Reserving any liquid that has formed, remove the skin from capsicums and deseed. Chop the flesh into chunks and add to the onion mix, along with reserved liquid.
4. Add some more salt and cook until the capsicum is soft. Add vinegar, sugar and cook a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Once cool add capers and herbs and adjust seasoning.
   

Note

Tastes better the next day.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.