Italian Peppers & Eggs

Kenny watched a Vic Dibitetto video that flung a craving right on both of us. His mother-in-law was making Italian Peppers & Eggs on her Vittoria’s Kitchen channel on YouTube.

So here is my crack at that all day endeavor. I am not an egg lover, but Kenny is, so this was totally for him.. but I enjoyed the third of one I could eat before the idea of eggs made me queasy, as it always does.

Ciabatta Dough Starter:

Prepare your starter to make Ciabatta bread Rolls, which takes more than four hours. This part can be done the night before.

• 1-1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup water, 90ºF – 100ºF

1. Mix all ingredients well, cover and leave at room temperature to ferment for at least four hours or until doubled in size.

Ciabatta Bread Dough:

• 2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp water, 90ºF – 100ºF
• 1/2 cup warmed milk

1. Stir the risen starter and let it rest for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix your warm water, milk, sugar, salt and oil together.
3. Sprinkle your rested starter with yeast, then add your milk and oil mixture along with 2 cups of flour, and mix well.
4. Transfer to a flour dusted board or your stand mixer with bread hook and knead for 5-6 minutes adding the remaining 1/4 cup of your flour, 1 tbsp at a time, as you knead/mix.
5. Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with olive oil, swirling the dough to apply oil to the outside. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for 2 hours or until it triples in size.
6. Punch the dough down then transfer to a floured surface. Gently roll the dough to make a 12 inch rectangle, then cut into 4 quarters.
7. Shape the dough by sprinkling a baking sheet with 2 tbsp all purpose or semolina flour. Shape each quarter into a small rectangle by folding it like a letter, tucking the edges inside. Transfer each folded rectangle onto a baking sheet, folded ends down, placed in 2 lines, 3-4 inches apart.
8. Cover your buns with a kitchen towel and let them rise at room temperature for 60 minutes or till almost doubled in size. During this process, preheat your oven to 425ºF.
9. Bake buns for 22-25 minutes until the tops are brown and the bottom of the rolls sound hollow when tapped.
10. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or let the bread cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for later.

Italian Peppers & Eggs:

As your bread is in its final rise and bake, prepare your peppers and eggs to be ready for your hot ciabatta buns.

• 4 green or red peppers, washed, seeded & sliced
• 4 large eggs, scrambled in bowl with 1 tbsp water added
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of pan)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 1 loaf of ciabatta or French bread, sliced to make 4 sandwich rolls
• Crushed red pepper (optional)
• Mild or hot Gardinera

1. In a large skillet, add olive oil and garlic and saute on low-medium until the garlic is golden, careful not to burn.
2. Add peppers, season with salt and pepper, stir to coat peppers with oil.
3. Continue cooking on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until peppers are soft.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and add eggs, stirring well to coat egg onto peppers. Cook eggs thoroughly, careful not to burn.
5. Sprinkle with cheese and red pepper. Serve on a roll and add Gardinera.