Peperonata

This goes great on everything: spoon over eggs, top over creamy polenta, serve with braised meat or over fish. Of course this is a McFadden fav of mine (Six Seasons recipe book). Happy Eating!

Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients:

- 3-4 pounds peppers, mostly sweet but a few hot are nice, mix of colors and varieties if possible

- Extra-virgin olive oil

- 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

- 3 bunches of scallions, take only 1/2" off the green tops; cut into 1" lengths (maybe only 2 bunches of Snowgrass green onions as we make them quite hefty)

- 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes

- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 2 pounds tomatoes (half slicer red and 1/2 cherry tomatoes

- 1 tbls sherry, balsamic or red wine vinegar

- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or oregano or a mix

Core and seed all peppers. Cut them into slices, some thick and some thin for the best texture. Set aside

Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly to toast so it's very soft and fragrant but not burnt - 5 minutes.

Dump in all the peppers, half the scallions and the chili flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the peppers start to relax, about 5 minutes. Add half the tomatoes (the larger red ones).

Cook and stir until the peppers and tomatoes get very soft, about 30 minutes. The tomato pulp should become a nice thick sauce, and you should see juickes start to stick to the bottom and sides of the pan. Be sure to frequently scarpe this up and down so that nothing burns.

After 30 minutes, add cherry tomatoes and the rest of the scallions, vinegar and thyme. Keep cooking until the tomatoes burst and their juices thicken. Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper, vinegar and chili flakes. Add more olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.