Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir the sliced peppers into a large pot of salted boiling water. Return to a boil, cook 2 minutes, and drain. Rinse with cold water and let cool.
Step 2
Rub both sides of the steaks with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and let them stand at room temperature while preparing the sauce. Place a large heavy skillet—cast iron is ideal—over low heat.
Step 3
Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife, add to the oil, and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, season them lightly with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted and caramelized, about 6 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and stir in the crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to simmering, and cook 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced peppers and the basil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic cloves or, if you like, leave them in. Cover the skillet to keep the sauce warm.
Step 4
Raise the heat under the empty skillet to medium-high. Add the steaks and cook until the underside is well browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the steaks and cook 3 minutes for a medium-rare steak, longer for more well-done steaks. Transfer the steaks to warm plates and spoon some of the pizzaiola sauce over each.
