In the kitchen with Chef Bell: Sunday fried peppers

by Chef Robert Bell

In the early 1950s, I was “mostly” Italian growing up in Bensonhurst, which was a nice Italian and Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn. Aside from being a good Catholic, food was the most important part of my life.

Every Sunday, after Mass we would feast with the family, extended of course. The aromas were apparent as soon as you walked in the door.  Grandma would have started the Sunday gravy before walking to church so the meat had time to cook down in the tomato sauce. The meat had plenty of time to break down and become very tender. Mass was about an hour, plus there was walking time and stopping at the bakery for pastries. By that time meat was heavenly and ready to be served with the “macaroni.”

This story, however, is about fried peppers, one of the most treasured and loved foods served at the Sunday table. Those peppers were part of the Friday meal as well. We did not eat meat on Fridays.

Our family meals on Fridays were pretty much the same each week. Generally, the meal consisted of an antipasti, pizza, and tuna fish. The fried peppers were always part of the antipasti, because everyone loved them, though no one at the table liked everything except for mom and me. My older sister and dad ate mostly pizza. Mom and I ate all the garlicky mushrooms, the hard salty cheeses, and some crusty bread. Though we all loved the fried peppers, we ate them differently. I enjoyed them most on bread with locatelli cheese. Mom ate them by the forkful. Phillis, my sister would eat them with just about anything.

Cooking these delicious sweet morsels was quite a task. The peppers will turn red from their early selves of green. For 8 to 10 peppers you will need a large pan. A 12-inch cast iron skillet works well. The peppers need to be cut length wise about 3/4s of an inch wide. During this process the stem, seed sack and pith should be removed.

The peppers shaped mostly like a bell are the best. Skip over the longer ones that resemble a pimento. These are not as flavorful nor as sweet. Place your skillet or braiser on a low flame and pour good olive over the surface of the skillet.  Heat the oil and add the peppers to the pan. When the peppers are starting to soften add about 6 garlic cloves, salt and black pepper. Stir occasionally so they cook evenly. Some charred blackening is fine. They should be soft when done, having cooked for about 30 to 40 minutes. The olive oil is a very important part of this dish. Make sure you have put in enough so you can enjoy it later for dipping your crusty bread. 

These wonderful sweet fried peppers are great on a ham or mortadella sandwich or simply with cheese and bread.

Or put them in a jar with the oil and give them as a very special present to someone you really like.

These peppers will last about a week in the refrigerator, so make plenty of them. Pen