Polenta Peperonata Recipe

Roast and peel the peppers

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking sheet with foil. Place whole bell peppers on the sheet and roast until skins are blackened and blistered on all sides, about 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway. Remove peppers to a heatproof bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid to steam for 10–15 minutes (this loosens the skins).

Peel, seed, and slice

When cool enough to handle, peel the blistered skins off the peppers, remove stems and seeds, then slice the peppers into 1/2-inch strips. Discard seeds and skins.

Sweat the onion and garlic

While peppers are steaming, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and build flavor

Increase heat to medium-high, add the white wine or stock and deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to remove raw flavor.

Combine and simmer

Add the sliced roasted peppers to the pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir to combine, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes so flavors meld. Add the sugar if the mixture tastes too acidic.

Finish the peperonata

Stir in the red wine vinegar, torn basil leaves, chopped parsley, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil (if desired), salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm while you prepare the polenta.

Bring water to a boil

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring 4 cups water and 1 tsp salt to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat.

Whisk in polenta

Gradually whisk the 1 cup coarse cornmeal into the simmering water to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low immediately after adding and continue whisking until evenly incorporated, about 1 minute.

Cook and stir

Cook the polenta at a gentle simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for about 25–30 minutes until thick and creamy. If the mixture becomes too thick while cooking, add a few tablespoons of hot water and stir to loosen.

Finish with butter and cheese

When polenta is creamy and the cornmeal is tender, remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed. If you plan to set the polenta and slice, pour into a lightly oiled pan, chill and then grill or pan-fry; otherwise serve immediately.

Plate

Spoon a generous serving of polenta onto warm plates or a shallow bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the polenta if desired.

Top each portion of polenta with a generous ladle of warm peperonata. Scatter torn basil or additional chopped parsley over the top. Sprinkle crumbled ricotta salata or extra Parmesan and toasted pine nuts if using. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a final crack of black pepper.

Serve hot. Leftover peperonata keeps refrigerated for up to 3–4 days and polenta can be chilled, sliced, and pan-fried or grilled for another meal.