Ciambotta
What is ciambotta? It a vegetable stew/side dish that is tasty and healthy. I like it more as a side dish than a stew, That’s how we always ate it growing up. A stew will be have more sauce to it, this version is more dry. I usually make this when there is an abundance of veggies in the fridge. I try not to cook this too long. I hate mushy vegetables! So I cook this just until the vegetable are cooked through, but still have a little texture to them. But I really do enjoy this one. I made it with onions, peppers, zucchini and eggplant and tomatoes. Sometimes I add some diced potatoes. You can even add some mushrooms. I wanted to keep it light this time. I like to go heavy on the peppers, because I like them, but use what you have. That’s really what this recipe is all about. It’s kind of a catch all for whatever you have in the house. Throw it in! There is a fair amount of chopping involved here, but if you chop as you go, its really makes things quick and easy.
We usually eat this by itself as a side dish with some crusty bread. It would also make a really delicious topping for some grilled chicken or a baked pork chop. Toss it with some pasta for veggie filled dinner. It tastes even better the next day in a sandwich after the vegetables have gotten happy together. I bet it would even be delicious on some eggs in the morning! I like to keep this recipe meat free but feel free to add some bacon or ham if you like. Of course add some crushed red pepper for a little heat if you like! I will generally do this after I have made a big batch of this, that way I can control if I want it in eggs or a sandwich when I heat up the leftovers. Nothing fancy here, just a tasty veggie party, Enjoy!
Ciambotta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 bell peppers sliced into thin strips
- 1 large zucchini seeded and chopped
- 1 large eggplant seeded and chopped
- 3 roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup tomato puree/sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather you veggies.
- Slice your onion into thin strips. Chop your tomatoes.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium low heat with1 tablespoon olive oil. Add tomatoes and onions to the pan.
- While the onions and tomatoes cook down, seed and slice the peppers into strips.
- Add the peppers to the pan.
- Seed the zucchini by cutting then in half lengthwise, and then again lengthwise. Cut out the seeds and then chop them into medium sized chunks.
- Add the zucchini to the pan. Toss.
- Seed the eggplant by cutting it in half and then cutting again in half. Cut out the seeds and then chop into into medium sized chunks. Chop the garlic.
- Add the eggplant and garlic to the pan. Toss.
- Add the salt and pepper and allow the vegetable to cook for about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree and water. Mix everything together.
- Raise the heat to medium high and cook for ten minutes or leave on medium heat and cover. Cook until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy. A taste test is a must. Check for seasoning
- Remove to a serving bowl and enjoy!
