Rachel Roddy's Sausage Peperonata Recipe | A kitchen in Rome

Well stored, some seeds can last for centuries, apparently. I am certain that sitting for four years standing in a box with postcards, bank statements and business cards, and under a lamp, is not good storage. But, like the business cards I might one day need, I can't throw away the seeds of basil, zucchini, thyme, and red pepper, or travel to plant them. So they sit, waiting, their corners bumping into the dogs ears. They do not go unnoticed; the package that most catches my eye is peperone rosso di Cuneo, which bears a photograph of a pepper so red it appears to have black stripes; it's also square, like a weightlifter's jaw. The sachet promises seeds of a vigorous and tasty variety producing large fruits with firm and exceptionally thick flesh and an intense and sweet flavor. Every time I read this, I want to eat peppers, bite into raw strips. Also to go swimming, so my flesh is as firm and vigorous as a pepper from Cuneo (which, by the way, means "corner"), a town and municipality in southwestern Piedmont.

< p class= "dcr-3jlghf">The cultivation of cuneo pepper is relatively recent, dating from the early 1900s, the result of a connection between a local variety and the large southern lobed. It may be new, but it's now established and responsible for some of the most mouth-watering red and yellow pepper recipes, especially antipasti and sauces. I have bookmarks everywhere. Antipasti di peperoni - lightly stewed peppers with anchovies. Bagnet ross, a sauce made with red peppers, tomatoes, onions, vinegar, anchovies and mustard seeds, to be served with meats or boiled eggs. Cipollata rossa Monferrina made with soft robiola and pepper to spread on toast; tongue in sweet and sour pepper sauce; Marinated Peppers; and three kinds of peperonata, one with sausage, which is this week's recipe, from a book produced by Slow Food titled Osteria: 1,000 Generous and Simple Recipes from Italy's Best Local Restaurants and a Chef Called Pier Antonio Cucchietti , from Stroppo to Cuneo. Of course, peppers can come from anywhere, and you need two red and two yellow. When picking peppers, Jane Grigson suggests they should be smooth and smooth, with a shiny shine. Good tip, but I've also made this with older, wrinkled peppers, and it was great.

Simon Hopkinson often adds a slice of butter to cooked peppers, towards the end of cooking, which is delicious and makes them shine. Now that it's warm, I think it's best served just above room temperature, which means it can also be made ahead. In the summer, I can easily eat it once a week, with crusty bread, a green salad and lots of chilled red wine.

Peperonata with sausages – peperonata con la salsiccia

Serves 4

1 large onion, peeled and sliced1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed (but left whole)6 tablespoons olive oilSalt and black pepper2 red bell peppers, trimmed, seeded and cut into thick strips2 yellow bell peppers, trimmed, seeded and cut into thick strips6 ripe tomatoes, or 1 400g can whole plum tomatoes8 good quality pork sausagesRed wine vinegar – optionalA pinch of sugar – optional< /p>

In a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of salt, until tender. until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent. Add the peppers, stir for a minute or two, then cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes, lifting the lid and stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften and release liquid.

If using fresh tomatoes (and you may be bothered), peel them by dropping them in boiling water for a minute, then cold, at which point the skins should slide out easily, then chop coarsely; if using canned, mash it. Add the tomatoes to the peppers and cook, uncovered, at constant bubbling for 30 to 40 minutes, until the peperonata is tender, rich and thick. Season to taste.

In a separate skillet, brown the sausages in a little oil until they are nicely colored and almost cooked, then add into the peppers to finish cooking – the best way to tell if the sausages are done is to cut one in half and taste it. Some recipes suggest cutting them all in half, so the peperonata can take root. You decide. ...