(WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Eggs, green peppers and bread. Without context, it sounds as if you’re rattling off items from a grocery list. But, cook them together and the end result is pure Chicago food goodness.
The pepper and egg sandwich has become a Chicago area staple for the many Catholics and Christians who observe Lent and abstain from eating meat on Fridays.
Whether it be at Buona Beef or Portillo’s, the sandwich has a local cult following.
The pepper and egg sandwich's popularity in Chicago spans decades, and if there’s one “crack” expert to explain the simple sandwich’s success, it’s Chicago chef and Food Network personality Jeff Mauro.
Mauro said his love for the pepper and egg began when he was a boy during Lent, on his way home from school, looking for a quick bite.
“You wouldn’t have an Italian beef sandwich; you wouldn’t have a hot dog; you wouldn’t even have a hot tamale. You’d have to get a pepper and egg sandwich because if you went home and fessed up to your folks that you ate meat on Friday during Lent…But, this magical sandwich was always the closest loophole to a meaty sandwich,” Mauro said.
It’s unlikely you’ll ever be able to find the Chicago creator of the pepper and egg because the ingredients are so basic. However, according to Mauro, the former Fiore’s Delicatessen in West Town should be credited with at least popularizing the pepper and the egg in the 1970s. Unfortunately, the Chicago deli closed in 2021.
No matter where you consume it, Mauro believes there are keys to a delectable pepper and egg sandwich.
“You have to have really well-cooked, cream-ish scrambled eggs. I like to do mine with a little bit of olive oil and butter for that little creaminess. Green bell peppers that are sautéed ahead of time, so they’re soft; they’re not crunchy; they’re not too bright, “ Mauro said.
He also recommends adding sharp provolone cheese and hot giardiniera to the sandwich.
“You wrap it up, you eat it, and it's unbelievable. And you’re like, ‘Why am I not eating this Monday through Thursday and Sunday and Saturday?’” said Mauro.
What's his favorite spot for a pepper and egg? Johnnie’s Beef in northwest suburban Elmwood Park.
Opened in 1961, Johnnie’s Beef has offered the pepper and egg sandwich on its menu since the very beginning, according to its owner Frank Stompanato.
Stompanato feels Elmwood Park’s strong Catholic population back then contributed to the sandwich gaining a following at Johnnie’s.
“It’s just something that grew in popularity, and it’s something that helped the sandwich get along, I’m sure, with having that type of people in this area,” said Stompanato.
In Stompanato’s opinion, what makes their pepper and egg stand above the rest is not too difficult to fathom.
“It’s all flavor. We have some flavor in there that other places probably don’t have. And, it’s personal preference. I really can’t speak for the customers, but the customers prove to us that they’re the ones that come back for us on a regular basis. It’s something that we really can’t discuss on what’s in it, other than pepper and eggs,” Stompanato said.
With the Lenten season already more than half over, the opportunity to bite into this Chicago delicacy is dwindling.
However fear not, Johhnie’s Beef offers the pepper and egg sandwich all year long on Fridays.
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