Peperoni ammollicati, or peppers with breadcrumbs, a quick and easy side dish typical of Sicily. Sweet peppers are sautéed until tender with toasted breadcrumbs, or muddica, stirred in at the end of cooking until crisp and golden.
If you've followed me along my Sicilian cooking journey until now, you'll know that Sicilian breadcrumbs, what we call muddica are a staple in Sicilian cuisine.
The toasted crumb of day old (or stale) bread adds flavor and texture to several recipes, whether it be pasta; meat; fish or vegetable dishes. It is also considered as "poor man's Parmesan" and can therefore be used as a substitute for cheese if you have an intolerance to lactose.
You can read more details about this important Sicilian ingredient here!
Peperoni ammollicati, meaning peppers with breadcrumbs, consists of toasted breadcrumbs flavored with minced garlic, oregano and basil tossed into a pan of sautéed peppers. This mixture adds tons of flavor as well as crunchy texture to an otherwise basic dish.
I stirred in a bit of white vinegar for a touch of acidity and an extra layer of flavor to my peperoni ammollicati. Keep on reading to see how easy they are to prepare as well as some possible variation suggestions!
Ingredient List
- Bell Peppers: I prefer red, yellow and orange peppers for their sweet flavor
- Fresh breadcrumbs: crumb from minimum day old bread, with the crusts removed.
- Garlic
- Dry oregano
- Olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- White vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare the breadcrumbs by removing the crust from 2-3 day old bread. Process the crumb in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs.
- Heat a dry pan over medium high heat. Add the crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until they are lightly toasted and browned, about 3 minutes. Do not burn! Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Stir minced garlic, oregano and freshly ground black pepper into the cooled crumb mixture.
- Prepare the peppers. Rinse and pat them dry. Cut in half and remove the stem and seeds. Slice each half into 5-6 strips, approximately 1-inch wide.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and cook, stirring, until they are softened but not mushy, about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes of cooking, add salt to the peppers. Stir in vinegar and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the breadcrumb mixture and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the crumbs have absorbed the oil from the pan and are crisp and golden.
- Transfer to a serving plate and top with basil.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
-Stir in 1 tbsp. of capers and reduce the vinegar to 1 tbsp. just before adding the crumb mixture to the pan.
-Add 1 tbsp. each pine nuts and raisins to the pan after the peppers have cooked for 15 minutes.
-Other herbs may be used such as fresh parsley or mint.
-The white vinegar may be omitted from the recipe if you prefer.
-Serve peppers with breadcrumbs as antipasto or a side dish.
-This dish may be served warm or even at room temperature.
-Leftovers may be enjoyed in sandwiches.
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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Check out more Sicilian recipes with breadcrumbs!
- Pasta with Breadcrumbs
- Wild Fennel Pasta with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs
- Sicilian Pasta with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs
- Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower
- Pizza with Cauliflower Crispy Breadcrumbs and Ricotta Salata
- Sicilian Sfincione
- Baked Salmon with Breadcrumbs, Garlic and Lemon
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers about 750 grams; a combination of red, yellow or orange or all same colour
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs crumb of day old bread, crusts removed and processed until you have coarse crumbs
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- freshly ground black pepper as much as desired
- 2 tbsp. white vinegar
- handful fresh basil leaves chopped or hand torn
- salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the breadcrumbs
- Prepare the breadcrumbs by removing the crust from 2-3 day old bread.
- Process the crumb in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs.
- Heat a dry pan over medium high heat. Add the crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until they are lightly toasted and browned, about 3 minutes. Do not burn! Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Stir minced garlic, oregano and freshly ground black pepper into the cooled crumb mixture.
Prepare the peppers
- Rinse and pat them dry. Cut in half and remove the stem and seeds. Slice each half into 5-6 strips, approximately 1-inch wide.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and cook, stirring, until they are softened but not mushy, about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes of cooking, add salt to the peppers. Stir in vinegar and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the breadcrumb mixture and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the crumbs have absorbed the oil from the pan and are crisp and golden.
- Transfer to a serving plate and top with basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
-Add 1 tbsp. each pine nuts and raisins to the pan after the peppers have cooked for 15 minutes.
-Other herbs may be used such as fresh parsley or mint. -The white vinegar may be eliminated from the recipe if you prefer. To Serve -Serve peppers with breadcrumbs as antipasto or a side dish.
-This dish may be served warm or even at room temperature.
-Leftovers may be enjoyed in sandwiches. Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
Looks marvelous. Summer on a plate!
Nadia
So true, thank you Frank!
Anna Bucciarelli
I'm giving this 5 stars even before i try it since I love fried peppers and your Sicilian bread crumbs can only enhance them. Thank you Nadia - once again for your bringing this recipe to us so we may enjoy another something special.
Nadia
Thank you dear Anna, they are definitely a perfect match. Hope you give them a try!