Peppers in Tomato Sauce with Feta (Piperies me Feta)
I’ve never liked cooked bell peppers at all, and so I didn’t think I liked any cooked peppers. But this dish changed my mind.
Ingredients
8 long peppers (italian, banana, anaheim, etc), approximately 1.5 pounds
2 yellow onions, approximately 1 pound
12 tomatoes, approximately 3 pounds
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil
Prepping the Veggies
Quarter the onions lengthwise and then slice them crosswise. According to Zoe, this is totally wrong. The onions for this dish must be sliced lengthwise. Just lettin’ you know. Slice or chop the garlic and grate the tomatoes.
Cut the tops off the peppers.
Cut out the thick ribs at the top of the peppers.
Stick your fingers into the peppers and dislodge the seeds, then rinse the seeds out with a strong blast of water.
Now go wash your hands and whatever you do, don’t rub your eyes until you’ve scrubbed your hands thoroughly. Even peppers that don’t taste hot can be amazingly searing to your eyeballs!
Cooking It!
Saute the onions and garlic in about 1/4 cup of olive oil for about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and salt, cover, and simmer vigorously for 20 – 30 minutes.
While the sauce cooks, fry the peppers. Heat an inch or so of oil in a frying pan and add a couple of peppers. As always when frying, make sure the items have room “to swim.”
Cook the peppers for 3-5 minutes. They’re going to bake in the tomato sauce, so you’re not trying to get them totally done, but they should soften and collapse a bit.
Put the peppers in a baking pan in a single layer, and spoon the tomato sauce over them.
I’m not sure how well you can tell from the above photo, but the sauce will be a bit watery at this point. If you were going to use it as a pasta sauce you’d probably cook it down more. But in this case you want the liquid for the peppers to continue cooking in, and there will also be evaporation as the dish cooks on a shallow pan in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, then top with crumbled feta. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the feta is golden.
Comment by Peter
I’ve always loved peppers and now even more so!
Comment by lulu
I’m glad I didn’t make you love them less! đŸ˜›
Comment by FoodJunkie
How can you NOT LIKE PEPPERS??
Comment by Laurie Constantino
This looks extra good – I think I’m going to have to make it in September. I’ve never seen anything like it. As for peppers, red bell peppers are good cooked, so are yellow and orange and even purple. But green bell peppers, I’ve never liked and, like you, it took me awhile to discover that not all peppers are the same. Love this dish, Lulu! I also like the opening photo very much.
Comment by Bellini Valli
I agree with Laurie that peppers are delicious once they are cooked.They can have a slightly bitter taste otherwise and turn sweet and delicious when roasted.
Comment by Cheryl
I love this dish although I’ve never made it myself.
Comment by lulu
FoodJunkie, the answer is very simple. I’m a mutant.
Comment by lulu
Laurie, I put my nice olive oil decanter in the photo just for you since you’d already noticed my salt and pepper shakers.
I don’t actually use that decanter much though because it drips terribly.
Comment by lulu
Val, I don’t know what’s wrong with me regarding bell peppers. The weird thing is that I’ve always liked raw bell peppers. I used to have them as a snack with my grandmother. In fact, one of my earliest memories is sitting on my grandmother’s lap sharing a bell pepper with her. These days I’ve gotten spoiled by the sweetness of the red and yellow ones, so I don’t want the green ones anymore, but even the red and yellow ones I don’t want cooked. I cannot explain this! đŸ˜›
Comment by melusina
Mmmm, sounds delicious and relatively easy to make, although I have frying fear (my husband has to fry the keftedakia because I’m too afraid of hot oil). My problem is I can’t ever decide which feta to buy, we have too many choices!
Comment by lulu
Hi Mel, this is really funny, but I was leaving a comment at your place just as you were leaving this one!
Hot oil can be pretty scary! I’m finally starting to get used to it, but it’s taken me awhile.
Comment by Laurie Constantino
Lulu, it WAS the decanter that gave the picture a nostalgic feel..thanks!
Comment by FoodJunkie
Hey I posted a pepper post just for you!
Pingback by Muhammara: Syrian dip with roasted peppers and walnuts/ ?????????: ??????? ???? ?? ????? ???????? ??? ?????? « Food Junkie not Junk Food
[…] It is of Syrian origin and uses red bell peppers. It is one of my favourite nibbles and since Lulu is a timid bell pepper eater this recipe is for […]
Comment by maria verivaki
this dish mesmerises you just by the colours of the vegetable sit includes!
Comment by lulu
Hey, Ioanna, your link’s not working right now. I left a comment on the post at your old URL.
Comment by lulu
Hi Maria, aren’t veggies just as beautiful as flowers, really?
Comment by Sam Sotiropoulos
Nicely done Lulu. Another great way to enjoy peppers and feta cheese.
Comment by lulu
Thanks, Sam!
Comment by Mat Arnoto
You are making my mouth water. I’m going to try it out this weekend. Try this sauce out, if you like the above.
The BEST Tomato Sauce Recipe.