The PEPPERS WITH BREADCRUMBS AND TUNA are a simple but incredibly tasty dish from Southern Italy, particularly — in various versions — from Sicily, Calabria and Puglia, where they are served as a main course or a side dish, especially in the summer when peppers have crunchier flesh and a more intense flavor. It’s a humble recipe but, like all dishes of rural tradition, it manages to give us an extraordinary richness of taste and aromas.
Preparing this dish takes little time but requires a few small attentions: choose peppers (or friggitelli, if you prefer) that are crisp, ideally in a mix of colors; cook them first over high heat and then gently, be generous with thyme and finally use good bread crumbs. The version I propose also includes adding quality tuna in oil at the end of cooking, which makes the recipe even richer and tastier. In this case, as you’ll see, the dish works well as a complete main course that everyone at the table will particularly enjoy in summer.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper (large)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (large)
- 10 friggitelli (sweet Italian peppers) (or 1 green bell pepper)
- 1 tablespoon salt-packed capers
- 6 oz tuna in oil
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 slices bread (the soft inner crumb)
- to taste salt
Steps
The preparation of PEPPERS WITH BREADCRUMBS AND TUNA is very simple and quick.
Wash the red and yellow peppers, then cut them in half and remove the seeds and the white inner membranes. Cut them into strips and set aside. Cut the friggitelli in half.
In a large skillet add some oil and the salt-packed capers, rinsed to remove the salt and chopped.
Cook them over low heat for 1 minute and add the peppers.
Turn the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes, season with salt, cover with a lid and let them simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid, add the dried oregano and let the flavors meld.
Place the bread crumb in a food processor and coarsely chop it. Put it in a skillet with some oil and toast it until crispy without burning it.
Add the crispy breadcrumbs to the peppers along with the drained tuna (better if in fillets), mix and let it absorb the flavors for a few seconds.
Plate the breadcrumbed peppers and enjoy them in all their simple goodness.
