HotmailFend off those pre-winter chills with roasted peppers
Phil ‘steals’ a sweet and spicy recipe that'll keep you warm this cold season
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Prima Ristorante |
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In this special weekly feature, TODAY Food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much fun you can have (and money you can save) by cooking these dishes at home.
THIS WEEK: Involtini di pepperoni (roasted sweet peppers with capers, anchovies, pine nuts and sultanas in garlic sauce) from Prima Ristorante in California
This week's recipe was stolen from Peter Chastain, chef and owner of Prima Ristorante in Walnut Creek, California. The main ingredients, yellow and red bell peppers, are so packed with antioxidants they might help fend off all those pre-winter chills and sniffles. The sunniest tones yield the highest concentration of antioxidant carotenoids. One small red, yellow or orange pepper provides three times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C — much more than citrus. Peppers are also excellent sources of vitamin A, vitamin B-6 and folic acid.
About the chef: Peter Chastain is an American who embraces the Italian sensitivity to ingredient quality and freshness and the Italian sensibility, using foods that are exquisitely pure and immaculately simple. His style relies upon flawless execution to showcase the quality and freshness of each carefully selected ingredient, composed to be a wonderful experience on the palate. 
A native of Berkeley, California, he trained under the late, renowned Ken Wolfe at Contra Costa College. Since then, he has been an instructor at Contra Costa College and worked in several leading Bay Area restaurants. Having also worked in Japan and Europe, Chastain has extensive experience in all aspects of kitchen operations, from production to instruction.
Chastain joined Prima in 1999 and purchased it with his partner, John Rittmaster, in 2005. Peter and John want guests to feel when they enter Prima that they have a sense of being invited into the warmth and stylish comfort of a restaurant reminiscent of Florence or Rome. Patrons will find warm, earthy colors, cozy spots to linger over a glass of wine accompanied by market-fresh Italian cuisine, either fireside (Caminetto) or near the wood-burning oven (Forno), all adding to the casually elegant charm of the restaurant.
Involtini di pepperoni is served at Prima Ristorante for $10
Serves six
INGREDIENTS
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the peppers on the middle rack. Put a cookie sheet underneath them to catch any dripping. Roast approximately 20 minutes, until the skin is charred. Remove into a bowl and cover with a towel until cool. Peel the skins off and remove the seeds. Cut into 2 ½ segments, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Slice garlic as thinly as possible. Combine with anchovies, rosemary and about ¼ cup oil in a small sauté pan. (Add also the hot chili if using.) Over slow heat, cook until garlic begins to turn golden and anchovies dissolve.
3. Add capers, pine nuts and sultanas and increase heat until the capers “flower.” Add bread crumbs, toast to golden and remove from heat.
4. Roll peppers in this mixture until completely coated. Sprinkle with chopped mint. Arrange on a platter or plate individually.
5. Serve at room temperature. This can be made even a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator — as long as you allow it to warm up in the kitchen, it will be delicious. Some people also prefer a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Chef’s tip: It is important to use fresh California garlic for this dish. Imported garlic will impart an acrid, unpleasant flavor especially as it sits for a while.
MANAGE YOUR RECIPES
Prima Ristorante
1522 North Main Street
Walnut Creek
California
(925) 935-7780
Want to nominate your favorite restaurant dish for a “Steal This Recipe” feature? Just e-mail Phil at Phil.Lempert@nbc.com (or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.
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