PEPPERS PIZZAIOLA – Recipe by Piero Benigni & Mama’s Italian cooking – In this recipe of my own peppers are easily prepared like a pizza. You can see three different toppings: anchovies at left, tuna and capers in the middle, fresh tomato at right. More variations are possible, exactly like a pizza, and the dish is always tasty and tempting. You can make 2-3 peppers in a large skillet, otherwise put them in a baking pan and use the oven. These peppers can be made in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients for 2 people as a starter
- 2peppers
- 8 spoonstomato sauce
- 200 gmozzarella (7 oz)
- 3 spoonsolive oil
- anchovy in oil (at taste)
- capers (at taste)
- tuna in oil (at taste)
- tomato (at taste)
- oregano (at taste)
Tools for peppers pizzaiola
- Cooker or oven
- Microwave Oven if available
- Pan 32 cm (11″) flat bottom
- Chopping Board
- Knife
Getting ready
Wash peppers, dry and remove stem and internal core. Cut in 3 or 4 flaps each, remove seeds and internal ribs. Pre-cook in microwave oven at maximum power 6 minutes or until soft and tender. Alternatively cook in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F) until tender and soft.
Cooking in the skillet
Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large 32 cm (11″) flat-bottom skillet and place peppers. Pour tomato puree on peppers, salt lightly, pour 2-3 tbsp water on pan bottom, cover and cook over medium-low heat puree is thick. If necessary pour a little more water on bottom.
Turn off heat and put mozzarella first, add topping as you like. You can let your fantasy run free: some more toppings are onions, scamorza cheese, mushrooms, cooked ham, sausage or whatever you want. Sprinkle some oregano and/or pepper if you like.
Put skillet on medium heat, cover and cook some minutes until mozzarella melts. Tilt skillet to let water go down to pan bottom as in picture. Let water evaporate, turn off heat and serve immediately.
Baking in the oven
Grease baking pan with olive oil, place peppers, put tomato puree on them, add salt. Bake at 200 °C (390 °F) until puree has thickened. Take out, put mozzarella and toppings at your taste, return to oven. Bake until mozzarella is molten and its water reduced, tilt pan if necessary. Take out and serve immediately.
Keeping of peppers pizzaiola
These peppers are like a leftover pizza. They keep 2 days in the fridge but freshness and most tasting are lost. Same if frozen.