It’s harvest season in the northern hemisphere and that means exciting times for this West Virginia Wino because soon our small group of amateur winemakers will be both bottling last year’s wine which is in the barrel, and then shortly thereafter we will receive this year’s California grapes to crush and ferment. This year our group will be concocting a blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot into our version of a “Super Tuscan.”
But harvest is not limited to winemaking. It is also a special time of year for those of us who will venture to our local farmer’s markets to collect the ripe bounty from our farms and fields that we will turn into edibles to both can and turn into all manner of culinary delights for immediate consumption. Here in Charleston, we have access to world-class, homegrown vegetables at the amazing outdoor Capitol Market. With a bounty of locally grown products, my wife and I graze there daily through the aisles and stalls, selecting fresh vegetables to can for future enjoyment and for the evening dinner table.
Today, I am going to share with you my recipe for sweet and hot peppers that, combined with fresh tomatoes, make a wonderful harvest dish. This nostalgic dish brings back fond memories of my Calabrian grandmother frying peppers just picked from the garden and placed on slices of hard-crust Italian bread. The bread, freshly baked and still warm, came from our family bakery just across the street. And with this recipe, you can adjust it to accommodate your tolerance for spiciness by limiting or eliminating the hot peppers to control the heat. I use Hungarian wax peppers which range in color from light green to red and which approximate the heat of a jalapeno. For the sweet (non-hot) peppers, I use mostly red and yellow bell peppers with one or two green bells for color. You can also use sweet Hungarian Wax peppers which have the same flavor as their spicy cousins, but without the heat. And of course, I’m going to provide you with a couple of wines to make this meal even more special
Harvest Peppers and Pasta
Ingredients
Six
multi-colored
bell
peppers,
sliced
into
five-inch
long
by
one-inch-wide
pieces
Three
hot
banana
peppers
(optional)
sliced
the
same
as
above
One
large
onion
sliced
into
approximately
three-inch
lengths,
a
quarter-inch
wide
Two
large
ripe,
red
tomato,
peeled
and
coarsely
chopped
Three
garlic
cloves
coarsely
chopped
Three
ounces
of
olive
oil
Two
tablespoons
each
of
freshly
chopped
basil
and
one
of
oregano
One
teaspoon
of
salt
and
coarsely
ground
black
pepper
One
pound
of
linguine
How
To
Heat
olive
oil
in
a
cast
iron
skillet
to
medium
high
heat
Add
onions
and
sauté
until
translucent,
then
add
all
peppers,
salt
and
pepper
Use
a
spatula
to
stir
the
peppers
regularly
Add
garlic
and
tomatoes
to
the
mixture
and
continue
stirring
Lower
heat
and
cook
until
most
of
the
liquid
evaporates
Continue
to
sauté
until
the
peppers
and
onions
begin
to
caramelize
Remove
from
the
stove
(cooking
usually
takes
25-to
30
minutes)
Place
in
a
large
bowl
and
mix
in
the
basil
and
oregano
Boil
water
for
linguine,
drain
when
al
dente
and
add
to
saute
pan.
Preserve
a
cup
of
pasta
water
and
add
the
pepper
mixture
slowly
until
integrated
in
a
sauce
This dish needs a wine that can stand up to the spiciness of the dish but not overwhelm it. Here a couple of my recommendations that should be served slightly chilled.
2024 Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($28)- This Oregon wine has excellent flavors of bright red cherries, with silky smooth hints of oak nicely balanced with refreshing acidity. The wine stands up to and complements this pasta and pepper dish really well.
2023 Vietti Barbera d’Asti Trevie ($21)- This is a medium-bodied wine complemented by crisp acidity, making it an excellent choice for pairing with our pasta and pepper dish. In addition, soft tannins add a layer of complexity to the wine, creating a well-balanced and refreshing note with just enough body to pair well and cool the spiciness just a bit
John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book – Augie’s Wine –is now available to order online or at his website wordsbyjohnbrown.com. His first two books– Augie’s War and Augie’s World – are also available online and at bookstores around the state. The novels are also available as audiobooks. You can find out more about his novels, and review all his archived Vines & Vittles columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com