Rustic Peperonata

This colorful pepper stew is sweet and delicious in the summertime, when the peppers are ripe. You can eat it over toasted country bread as a snack, or as a vegetable with dinner. There are lots of things kids can do to help cook this dish – like mashing up the tomatoes, taking the ribs and seeds out of the peppers, and even adding the seasonings!

Rustic Peperonata

Ingredients
fresh bell peppers in a variety of colors (red, yellow, orange!)
one small ripe tomato for each pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 small to medium yellow onion for every 2 peppers, sliced or chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps

1. Cut the peppers in half and take out the ribs and seeds. Cut them into strips or triangles or any shape you like.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. With a knife, cut out the core of the tomato and cut a shallow X in the opposite end. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water for a minute or less, then remove them to a bowl of very cold or iced water. Peel the skin from the tomato (the hot water should have loosened it – if not, return it to the boiling water for another 30 seconds and try again). Cut the tomato in half and squeeze out the seeds, or remove them with a spoon. Mash the tomatoes a little with your hands.
3. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet large enough to accommodate all the peppers. Heat over a medium flame. Add the onions and cook until they soften and begin to turn golden.
4. Add the cut up peppers to the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cover the skillet. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, just until the peppers begin to soften and wilt. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring gently, until the liquid evaporates. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for a couple more minutes, until the vegetables are all warmed through. Adjust seasonings if needed with salt and pepper.

from Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans, The Farmers' Feast