Chargrilled peppers | All Things Sicilian and more

ROASTED CHARRED PEPPERS

The charred elegance of roasted peppers -—simple, bold, and unforgettable!

Peppers (capsicums) charred on a grill capture the essence of Sicilian cuisine. Simple, colourful, fragrant and full of flavour, this dish transforms humble ingredients into a culinary triumph.

Fresh basil, garlic and good extra virgin olive oil is all that is needed for a tasty salad, but I often keep more in the fridge to add to other dishes.

The Peperoni (peppers) are known as Pipi Arrustuti in Sicilian and Peperoni Arrostiti in Italian. Although they are grilled Arrostiti means roasted.

Especially perfect for summer and autumn when peppers are at their best.

Grilled peppers are versatile and can enhance a variety of dishes with their smoky, sweet flavor and are a fantastic way to add colour, flavour, and nutrition to almost any dish!

My preferred way is to present the Peperoni Arrostiti as an antipasto alongside crusty bread, as a topping for grilled meats, or even as a side dish. Its vibrant colours and robust flavors make it a show-stopping addition to any meal.

Peeling the peppers without rinsing preserves their intense smoky depth.

Below some serving suggestions:

Below, roast peppers surrownding some ricotta.

I usually add left over peppers to other salads, either made with uncooked vegetables or cooked, for example :

Toss grilled peppers with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, herbs, black olives, red onion, a drizzle of good olive oil and lemon juice.
Combine grilled peppers with grains like quinoa, farro etc, along with rocket, pulses like chickpeas or any type of beans, roasted pumpkin or grilled zucchini or eggplant and perhaps a tahini dressing.

Ingredients

Peppers: 6, any color (a mix is ideal, with red peppers offering a sweeter note).
extra virgin olive Oil: 1/2 cup
garlic: 3 cloves, chopped
tomatoes: 2 whole, firm and red
basil leaves: About 3/4 cup, torn
salt and black pepper: To taste

Optional Variations:

Mint: replace basil for a fresh twist, a favourite among some parts of Sicily.

Lemon Juice: add a squeeze before serving, a common touch in southern Sicily, especially in Ragusa.

Toasted breadcrumbs (tossed in a hot frypan with a little extra virgin olive oil): some Sicilians sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs on the grilled peppers before serving. This is also a favourite topping for caponata.

Below, a photo of street food assold from the streets of Palermo.

Process

1. Roast the Peppers

Place the peppers on a BBQ grill over intense heat. Turn them frequently until the skin is blistered and puffy. Once charred, remove them from the grill and place them in a bowl, covering it with a plate or lid. This step allows the peppers to steam, making the skins easier to peel. Alternatively, wrap them in paper or place them in a plastic bag as my mother and relatives often do. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes.

2. Prepare the Tomatoes

Grill the tomatoes briefly until their skins split and char. This process takes only 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

3. Peel and Clean

Using your fingers, peel away the skins of both the peppers and tomatoes, scraping off as much charred skin as possible. Avoid rinsing to preserve the flavor. Split the peppers and remove the seeds, then tear both the peppers and tomatoes into rough strips.

4. Assemble the Dish

Place the torn peppers and tomatoes into a bowl. Add the slivered garlic and torn basil leaves. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and gently toss to combine.

5. Marinate

Let the mixture marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors deepen beautifully if allowed to rest overnight.

You can also roast hot peppers/chillies to add to this salad or store them in extra virgin olive oil in the fridge to use elewhere,for example for making Harissa..

See recipe for Harissa.

Harissa made with fresh Chillies

SALSA ROMES CO (Romesco sauce, this recipe is made with roasted peppers, tomatoes and almonds)

ANTIPASTO – GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES AND A SCOOP OF SALADS

You really cannot beat a plate of grilled vegetables, especially when eggplants and peppers are so prolific at this time of year.

Zucchini, although not in this selection are also a good choice. Grilled vegetables are perfect as an antipasto but they can just as easily be part of a main course.

The vegetables can be grilled on a BBQ or Grill press or in the oven.

To the array, throw in some of the cooked green beans, asparagus or broccolini (that perhaps are left over from the night before), add a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, some chopped garlic, a little parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

You could also add to the cooked vegetables different textures with a bit of crunch – some of that celery, fennel, cucumbers and apples that are probably in your fridge. Or it could be tomatoes, celery, spring onions and fresh basil leaves, once again a drizzle of that good olive oil that will add fragrance as well as taste.

So easy, so simple.

Just recently, in two different restaurants I ordered versions of grilled vegetables and they both were presented with Romesco sauce dolloped separately on the side of the vegetables. In one of the restaurant it was grilled asparagus, topped with fried breadcrumbs. In the other it was eggplant. This had been grilled and rather than presenting it in slices it was pulped to a medium texture. Bread is a perfect accompaniment for scooping up the eggplant and the Romesco sauce. A drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil is a must.

Recipes in earlier posts:

PEPPERS WITH BREADCRUMBS- PIPI CA MUDDICA – PEPERONI CON LA MOLLICA

SALSA ROMESCO (Romesco sauce, this recipe is made with roasted peppers, tomatoes and almonds)

In this version of this sauce almonds are added to the the vegetables (garlic, peppers and tomatoes). These are roasted/chargrilled on a BBQ or Grill press:

Roast/chargrill the peppers whole, peel, remove seeds and break them into strips. If using fresh tomatoes cut them into pieces. If you are roasting / chargrilling the peppers do them at the same time.
*Click on above link to see a list of ingredients and how to make it.

A different Recipe for Romesco sauce made with hazelnuts

This recipe uses hazelnuts instead of almonds. Also the vegetables are roasted. in the oven rather than grilled.

Use the same ingredients as the recipe above, substitute the hazelnuts for the almonds, but roast the vegetables:

Place the tomatoes, peppers and a whole head of garlic in a roasting tray with a little oil and roast in a 190C oven. Take the vegetables out as they become soft, i.e. the tomatoes will take about 10 minutes, the peppers and the garlic could take about 30-40 minutes..

PEPPERS WITH BREADCRUMBS- PIPI CA MUDDICA – PEPERONI CON LA MOLLICA

This Sicilian recipe – Pipi ca Muddica – begins with roasted peppers.

I made a large batch of these recently for a gathering (I used 4 k of peppers) but when I am busy I do not always have time to take photos. These are the leftovers so as you can see, they were popular.

To roast peppers

Roasting peppers is easy and great for the hot weather as they can be roasted (or grilled) over an open flame on a barbecue. I have never used my oven to roast peppers, but some people do.

Select a variety of colours. Peppers should be, whole, firm and unbroken.

Place whole peppers on the hot metal grill over an open flame or coals. Turn them over a few times and the skin should soften and their skin will char after 15-20 minutes of cooking. and you get a nice smoky flavor.

Once you’ve roasted your peppers, you will need to complete the cooking and the softening of the peppers by steaming. This process will help you peel the tough skin. My mother used to place them in a heavy brown paper bag or a plastic bag and seal it. I place them into a casserole with a lid and leave them there for at least 30 minutes.

Peel the peppers and seed them and tear them into strips. The roasted peppers are now ready to make into a salad. By far the most common Sicilian recipe for roasted peppers is to add a couple of red tomatoes that you have also charred on the open flame and use this to make the dressing.

Remove their skin, mash with a fork add slivers of garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, salt, pepper and some lemon juice. Dress the peppers, mix well and once dressed serve them within an hour.

I say ‘within and hour’ because roasted peppers if left to stand begin to weep their juices and you will find that the dressing has been diluted significantly. An alternative is to leave the peppers (can be stored in the fridge), drain them well and dress them just before serving.

The recipe for Pipi ca Muddica – Peperoni con la mollica (Italian) uses some breadcrumbs and this is one way to absorb some of the juices that are released.

Breadcrumbs are very important in Sicilian Cuisine and there are many recipes that use either coarse, fried bread crumbs or fine and dry (for coating food to fry).

Use 1-3 day old white bread (crusty bread, sourdough or pasta dura).

Breadcrumbs (Coarse).

These are used as a topping for baked recipes and stuffings. Remove crust, break into pieces, place into a food processor and make into coarse crumbs. They can be grated or crumbled with fingertips.

Fried Breadcrumbs.

These provide greater flavour and texture and are usually sprinkled on cooked foods, for example: Pasta con Sarde or Caponata.Heat about ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan and add 1 cup of coarse breadcrumbs (see above). Stir continuously on low temperature until an even, golden brown.

Depending on in what I am using the bread crumbs, I may add all sorts of goodies to these, for example there may be: grated lemon peel, pine nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, a little sugar.

Pipi ca Muddica – Peperoni con la mollica

There are a number of versions of this Sicilian recipe from different parts of the island and the most common are those versions that add fried onion or some raisins, or pine nuts. This version of Pipi ca Muddica is from the area around Syracuse.

It can be an entrée (as a small course served before a larger one) or as a vegetable side dish.

1.5 k of roasted peppers torn into strips
1 cup of bread crumbs (Coarse, see above)
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of capers
3-4 tablespoons wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper

Lightly and gently sauté the chopped garlic in the oil, add the breadcrumbs and stir them around in the hot pan until golden. Add the roasted peppers, the capers and the wine vinegar. Add the seasoning and toss the contents around over moderate- to hot heat until the vinegar evaporates 5-10 mins. Some cooks add a little bit of sugar- the sweet and sour taste is very common in some Sicilian cuisine.

Place the contents into a dish and let cool – Pipi ca Muddica should be served cold. They can be placed in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days. Remove them from the refrigerator about half an hour before serving.

Basil leaves are not compulsory, but I do like this herb.

Tag: Chargrilled peppers

ROASTED CHARRED PEPPERS

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