This penne dish comes from Trapani, which is found on the coast of Sicily. The recipe – one of many featured in Gennaro Contaldo’s Gennaro’s Pasta Perfecto! book all about pasta – is one that requires little effort and few ingredients, but packs a huge punch in the flavour department.

Contaldo’s top tip? “I never put tomatoes in the fridge,” he says. “They’re always hanging up.” If you want your tomatoes to last longer and keep a sweet and juicy flavour, find a hook somewhere in your kitchen where you can suspend a bunch. Tasty – and doubles as a pretty ornament.

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Penne with Trapanese-style peppers
(David Loftus/PA)
Penne with Trapanese-style peppers
Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Penne with Trapanese-style peppers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 541 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 133mg6%
Potassium 642mg18%
Carbohydrates 78g26%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 1775IU36%
Vitamin C 227mg275%
Calcium 146mg15%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Penne with Trapanese-style peppers

Classic penne with a delicious pepper sauce.
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 541kcal
Author: Gennaro Contaldo

Equipment

  • Roasting pan
  • Large saucepan
  • Large frying pan with lid

Ingredients

  • 3 yellow (bell) peppers
  • 4 oval-shaped tomatoes, such as San Marzano
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli finely chopped
  • 1 red (bell) pepper thinly sliced
  • 350 g penne pasta
  • A handful of parsley or basil finely chopped
  • 40 g Pecorino shaved
  • Sea salt

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  • Put the yellow (bell) peppers into a roasting pan and dry-roast in the hot oven for about 35 minutes, until the skin is golden-brown and the peppers have softened.
  • Meanwhile, bring some water to the boil. Submerge the tomatoes in the boiling water for two minutes, then drain, remove the skins and seeds, and finely chop the flesh. Set aside.
  • When the yellow peppers are ready, carefully remove the skins and seeds, and roughly chop the flesh. Set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat, add the garlic and chilli, and sweat for one minute. Add the red (bell) peppers and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, until the peppers have softened. Stir in the roasted yellow peppers and tomatoes, add some salt and stir-fry over a high heat for one minute. Reduce the heat back to medium, cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes, while you cook the pasta.
  • Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente (check the instructions on your packet for cooking time).
  • Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the peppers along with a little of the cooking water and mix well to combine while still on the heat. Stir in the parsley, then remove from the heat and serve with shavings of Pecorino cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1775IU | Vitamin C: 227mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg

Gennaro’s Pasta Perfecto! by Gennaro Contaldo, photography by David Loftus, is published by Pavilion Books.

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