Late summer and autumn is the ideal time to enjoy this delicious vegetable dish that is fundamentally vegan. Spanish pisto hails from La Mancha and doesn’t usually have aubergines. However, we like their silky texture and summery flavour, and also enjoy the oomph that some Provençal herbs give to the dish, which is very similar to a French ratatouille.
INGREDIENTS
• 4 small aubergines
• 4 courgettes
• One large onion
• A red pepper
• A green pepper
• 1 tin tomatoes
• Four cloves garlic
• 2 bayleaves
• Oregano and thyme
• Olive oil
METHOD
1. Wash and chop the vegetables. Fry the onions until soft and transparent, adding the chopped garlic towards the end. At the same time, fry the peppers in another pan until they soften up, too. Remove and put to one side.
2. Now fry the sliced courgettes and the roughly chopped aubergines, again in separate pans. Start the aubergines on a high heat to seal them, then cover the pan to cook them down – otherwise they’ll soak up too much olive oil. Once they’re soft, they’re done. The courgettes are best when lightly golden.
3. Now combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, add the tomatoes and cook together for fifteen minutes, adding salt, pepper, bayleaves and good pinch of oregano and thyme.
Serving ideas: This is a great side for any meat or fish dish, but also an excellent lunch in itself. Add some anchovies, chopped jamón serrano or sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese for extra flavour, or fry an egg or two and slide them on top. Serve with good bread.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!