PEPERONATA WITH POTATOES

When I arrived in Sicily for the first time - exactly twenty years ago today, as it happens - one of the dishes my good friend Giovanna made to welcome me was peperonata with potatoes.  This is my version:

3 tablesp olive oil
1 large red onion
5 peppers - I happened to have red and green but use yellow and orange, too, if you can
500 gr potatoes [a bit more if you like]
6 vine or other flavoursome tomatoes, halved
1 400 gr can cherry tomatoes with their juice or a box of passata
chilli pepper flakes if liked
seasalt
fresh basil

Chop the onion finely and soften in the oil in a wide pan or wok. Deseed the peppers, cut into fairly large  pieces and add to the pan. A Sicilian would peel the potatoes but I only ever do that to mash them so I don't. Cut the potatoes into chunks and add them too, stirring everything well. When the peppers have softened, after about 15 minutes, add the fresh tomatoes [peeled and desseded if you have time or prefer] the contents of the can of cherry tomatoes or passata and stir.  Sprinkle over some chilli pepper flakes if you like them.  Add seasalt to taste, then stir the mixture well, put the lid on the pan and leave to simmer for about 35 mins.  Strew some torn fresh basil leaves over and serve.

Buon appetito.