Italian Frying Peppers – 3 Delicious Ways To Cook

Italian Frying Peppers is a variety of small sweet peppers that have elongated finger size shape. They are typically green but will turn red if allowed to ripen.

They have nothing in coming with small peperoncini peppers (chili peppers) that they’re often called in English speaking world.

Italian Frying Peppers are easier to digest than regular bell peppers. They have mild, maybe ever so lightly piquant taste.

In Italy, they are called frigitelli, except for Campagna region where they known as friarelli.

Not to confuse with friarielli!!

Just one letter completely changes the vegetable. When they say Friarielli in Naples, they mean broccoli rabe.

Frigitelli or Friarelli or Italian Frying Peppers all these names equally mean that these peppers are made for frying.

The most classic, traditional way to cook friggitelli peppers is to fry them whole in extra virgin olive oil (preferably) and sprinkle with salt.

You should eat them using your hands, holding the pepper by the stem which was intentionally left for easy grasp AKA finger-food.

Besides frying Italian peppers there are other delicious and simple ways to cook them.

Today, I’m going to share with you my favorite recipe with Italian Frying Peppers.

I’ll also share my 2 secret ingredients to pump up the flavors even more.

Not only it makes a perfect side for almost any main course but these fried peppers can also be used as a base for other recipes with Italian Frying Peppers, like Past With Friggitelli or Friggitelli And Potatoes.

How To Cook Italian Frying Peppers – Step By Step

• Start by rinsing peppers under cold water.
• If you decide to cook them whole, simply skip to the next step. Otherwise using a small sharp knife cut of the top with the stem.
• Remove the seeds. You can speed up cleaning process by cutting the top part a quarter of an inch lower from the stem. This helps remove the seeds faster.

• Rinse peppers again in cold water to remove any remaining seeds.

• In a large pan add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves and peperoncino. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
  At this point you can also add a couple of anchovies and stir until dissolved.

• Add Italian frying peppers (whole or previously deseeded).
• Cook on high heat for a few minutes then reduce to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until tender.

• Peppers should release enough juice while in the pan but feel free to add some water if the pan is getting too dry.
• Once peppers are cooked add basil leaves, a splash of vinegar (see notes) and salt to taste. Give another good stir. Let vinegar evaporate and turn the heat off.
• Serve with freshly ground black pepper or you can also top them with crumbled feta cheese.

More Ways To Cook Italian Frying Peppers

Cook In The Oven

Wash peppers under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Arrange on a baking sheet, generously drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste.

With Anchovies

As mentioned in the recipe anchovies are optional for this recipe but if you have them definitely add a couple of fillets. They add a nice savory flavor to the whole dish.

With Tomatoes

When frigitelli a half cooked add 2 cups of cherry tomatoes cut in half and continue to cook. You can also add a cup of more of canned crushed tomatoes which give Italian Frying Peppers more creamy texture.

Add Potatoes

For a heartier and more filling dish cut potatoes in small cubes and add right to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes before adding friggitelli.

Italian Frying Peppers Substitutes

If you can’t get fresh Italian Frying Peppers you can substitute them with cubanelle peppers and even with regular bell pepper. Use mixed colors  and cut bell peppers into long thin stripes since they have much thicker walls than Italian frying peppers.

Quick & Easy Recipe With Italian Frying Peppers

Whenever you make a big pan of Italian Frying Peppers make sure to save some to make pasta the next day. In fact, Spaghetti With Frigitelli is a great way to use leftovers.

Of course, you can make this spaghetti sauce even from scratch.

Full Recipe

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Italian Frying Peppers – 3 Delicious Ways To Cook

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This recipe of Italian Frying Peppers makes for a delicious veggie side dish or a pasta sauce for the next day.

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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 lb Italian frying peppers , approx 700 g
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves
• ▢ 5-10 fresh basil leaves
• ▢ Extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ Vinegar to taste
• ▢ Salt , pepper to taste
• ▢ Anchovies (optional)

Instructions

• Start by rinsing peppers under cold water.
• If you decide to cook them whole simply skip to the next step. Otherwise using a small sharp knife cut of the top with the stem.

  Remove the seeds. You can speed up cleaning process by cutting the top part a quarter of an inch lower from the stem. This helps remove the seeds faster.

  Rinse peppers again in cold water to remove any remaining seeds.
• In a large pan add generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves and peperoncino. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

  At this point you can add a couple of anchovies (optional) and stir until dissolved.
• Add Italian frying peppers (whole or previously deseeded).
• Cook on high heat for a few minutes then reduce to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until tender.
• Peppers should release enough juice while in the pan but feel free to add some water if the pan is getting too dry.
• Once peppers are cooked add basil leaves, a splash of vinegar (see notes) and salt to taste. Give another good stir. Let vinegar evaporate and turn the heat off.
• Serve with freshly ground black pepper or top them with crumbled feta cheese.

Notes

Add small amount of vinegar to start with, taste and add more if needed.

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