Lazy Peperonata and Mushroom Spaghetti

A lazy evening warranted a simple, easy to cook dish, that required minimal reference to recipes and washing. And the big red and yellow peppers bought last Sunday was screaming their wish to be devoured. So I got the inspiration to cook Spaghetti out of this sweet and sour peppers dish I had learnt from my Italian cookbook "Easy Italian in Minutes" sometime ago.

It's very simple, but not the fastest. Basically, it involves simmering peppers of various colours in olive oil for half an hour, and seasoning them with sugar, salt and red wine vinegar for a sweet and sour taste.

I ended up using just my yellow peppers. If you use a combination of red, yellow and green, I'm sure the dish would look prettier. And don't be tempted to just use green peppers, as red and yellow peppers are crucial in adding a touch of sweetness to the dish.

Lazy dessert after dinner came in the form of a perennial favourite of Remi: Melted dark chocolate with sweet pears and vanilla ice-cream. He always makes sure we have a bar of dark chocolate in our store cupboard for such decadent delights. Melt chocolate with milk over a water bath for the perfectly thick and rich consistency.

Peperonata and Mushroom Spaghetti
Serves two

1 yellow pepper (or even better, combine half red and half yellow or green)
1 tablespoon olive oil
big handful of fresh button mushrooms
red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
a few slices of chorizo or smoked ham
sprinkle of pine nuts
Spaghetti
Chopped parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese

Deseed and slice the peppers in long strips.

In the proportion of 1 tablespoon of oil to 1 pepper, heat oil in saucepan and add the peppers, tossing well to coat them in oil.

Fry over low heat, covered and simmer for 30 minutes until the peppers are soft. You don't really have to watch over it. Add the mushrooms sometime in between, say after 15 minutes. Season with sugar, vinegar and salt. Proportion of vinegar about 1 tablespoon or less, depending on taste. Can also replace red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar.

Add the chorizo and pinenuts.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti and stir the cook pasta into the cooked peppers dish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and cheese.