A great classic of Italian cuisine made with yellow and red bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes: from these simple ingredients comes an appetizer or side dish of remarkable depth, with an intense yet balanced flavor. Peperonata can be enjoyed hot or cold, depending on the season, and pairs well with white and red meats, grilled fish, or on toasted bread. It’s also excellent in summer cold pasta salads.
Ready to use at room temperature or slightly warmed as a side dish for red or white meats, grilled fish, or fresh cheeses. Also excellent as an appetizer served on toasted bread or alongside flavorful finger foods and aperitifs. A must-try in cold pasta salads for colorful summer buffets. Refrigerate after opening.
Peperonata certainly originated in Italy, although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where. It is particularly well known in Southern Italy, Liguria, and Piedmont in its basic recipe, though every region has developed its own variation. This dish comes from peasant traditions, created to make the most of simple, seasonal ingredients like bell peppers, which were introduced to Europe in the 16th century after the discovery of the Americas. Peperonata is a prime example of humble food turned gourmet, appreciated at every level and spread throughout Europe with countless local adaptations. The idea of stewing different vegetables together also inspired similar dishes that became staples of their own national cuisines, such as Ratatouille in France, Pisto in Spain, Sataraš in the Balkans, and Lecsó in Hungary.
