Pancetta Pepper Piperade Recipes

PANCETTA & PEPPER PIPERADE

Steps:

• Put the pancetta and onion in a large, deep frying pan. Cook for 7 mins until the onion is beginning to soften.
• Add the peppers, tomatoes and tomato purée to the pan and mix well. Season, cover and cook for 10-15 mins.
• Make 4 small wells in the mixture. Crack an egg into each well and cook for a further 5-6 mins or until the eggs have set. Scatter with basil and serve straight away, with crusty bread, if you like.

YELLOW AND RED PEPPER PIPERADE WITH MARCONA ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and place over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic. Add the onions and continue to saute until slightly caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the plum tomatoes and diced peppers, season with salt and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, chile flakes and pimenton and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar and cook for an additional minute. Taste and season.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped almonds and chives. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

PEAS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat; cook and stir pancetta and onion in the hot oil until pancetta is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir peas, white wine, thyme, salt, and pepper into pancetta mixture; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peas are tender and liquid is slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes.

PIPERADE

Steps:

• Cut a small X into bottom of each tomato. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add tomatoes and cook until skin begins to wrinkle and peel at the edges of the cuts, about 30 seconds. Drain, rinse with cool water and peel off skin with your fingers. Roughly chop tomatoes and set aside.
• In a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, peppers and salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and peppers have started to lighten in spots, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 1 more minute.
• Stir in tomatoes, sugar and piment d'Espelette, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until tomatoes are starting to fall apart and peppers are soft but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens like a slightly runny relish, about 5 minutes more. Adjust salt.

PANCETTA AND PEPPER BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the basil and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Cook the fusilli in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, red peppers, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving.

PIPERADE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with the rack in the upper position. Cut off tops and bottoms of peppers; discard. Slice side of each pepper to open, and spread to flatten. Remove and discard ribs and seeds. Brush 1 tablespoon oil on a baking sheet. Rub peppers with oil, and flatten as much as possible. Place on sheet, skin side up. Broil until skins have blackened, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Hold peppers under running water to remove charred skins, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips (about 2 cups). Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add tomatoes, and cook until skins loosen, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath until cool enough to handle, about 1 minute. Peel tomatoes, and cut into quarters. Run a knife along flesh to remove seeds; discard seeds. Cut tomatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in small ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook for 2 minutes; cover, and transfer pot to oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Brush down sides of pot with a wet pastry brush to prevent caramelized bits from burning. Add roasted pepper strips, cover, and bake for 20 minutes more. Brush down sides of pot again. Add thyme and tomato strips, and continue baking, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Brush down sides of pot again. Season with salt and pepper. Vegetables should be soft but not browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PIPERADE (SAUTE OF PEPPERS, ONIONS AND TOMATOES)

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with broiler rack about 2 inches from heat. Broil peppers for 10 minutes, turning as skins blister and blacken. Remove peppers. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel and seed, discarding skins and seeds. Cut peppers into thin strips.
• In large skillet, using no butter or oil, combine peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and herbs and cook, covered, over very low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Mixture should be quite thick.
• Piperade can be made ahead and put into 4 half-cup ramekins or molds. To reheat, place in boiling water bath and cook on top of stove until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

PORK PIPERADE

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine flour and half of seasoning mix. Add pork, a few pieces at a time, and toss to coat; shake off excess., In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add pork; stir-fry until browned, 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; cover and keep warm., In same skillet, heat olive oil. Stir-fry onion and peppers until crisp-tender. Chop tomatoes; add to skillet. In a small bowl, combine remaining taco seasoning and reserved tomato juices. Add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return pork to skillet; heat through.

HAM AND PEPPER PIPERADE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and garlic and sauté gently for 3-4 minutes or until just softened.
• Add the tomatoes, potatoes, thyme, mixed peppers and salt and pepper. Lower the heat and continue cooking for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.
• Add the ham and stir well to distribute evenly.
• Pour the eggs into the frying pan. Stir occasionally until they are just beginning to set but are still slightly soft.
• Serve immediately with warm bread, and a fresh green salad.