Linguini with Sautéed Peppers

Select a pan large enough to hold all of the ingredients - a 6-quart high walled sauté pan, a Dutch oven, or a wide, heavy bottomed pot. If fresh pasta is not an option, dry pasta is fine. In either case, the pasta should be timed to reach not quite al dente at the same time as the capers and olives are added in (Step 4). The amount of red pepper flakes added should be adjusted to your preference.

Step 1: Set a pot of salted water to boil. Mise en place ingredients.

Step 2: Warm a sauté pan over a medium high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot and starts to shimmer, add the peppers and toss, making sure that all of the peppers are coated with the oil. Cook unti the peppers begin to soften and release their juices, 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another minute, tossing and mixing all of the ingredients together. Make sure you clear the bottom of the pan when tossing.

Step 4: Add the capers and green olives and toss to mix in. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the pasta water slowly, continuing to toss and making sure the olive oil, pepper juices and pasta water have emulsified and all of the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced into ribbons
  • 2 yellow bell peppers, sliced into ribbons
  • 300g (10 oz.) fresh linguini pasta
  • 4 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup pasta water
  • 3 teaspoons capers, without liquid
  • 10 green olives, sliced thin
  • 1 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • Parmesan for the table

Step 5: Remove from heat. Plate and garnish each dish with parsley. Serve with Parmesan at the table.