APPETITE OF TASTE: Italian Recipes: Verdure cuocere ( Vegetable bake)

Verdure cuocere

This is one of my home recipes and is an Italian one pan dish that is like a stew topped with wonderful layer of crisp French beard and cheese. It is a very simple recipe and can either be cooked on a stove and in the over or even on a BBQ or other hot heat source.

serves: 4 people

Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 courgettes, chopped
1 aubergine, chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
8 black olives, chopped
1 tbsp capers, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 x 400g tin chopped plum tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp sugar

For the topper

8 slices stale French bread
3 tbsp olive oil
200 g cheddar cheese, grated
chopped parsley, to serve

Step 1:

Heat the olive oil in a large shallow oven and stoveproof pan on a medium heat, then add the chopped onion and cook for around 5 minutes until soft and lightly browned.

Step 2:

Add the chopped courgette and aubergine and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the tomato puree, beans, olives, capers, garlic, tomatoes, stock cube and sugar. Swill out the tomato tin with some water into the pan and then stir really well to combine, season to taste and bring up to the boil.

Step 3:

Turn the heat down and cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Take the lid off and simmer for a further 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Step 4:

For your Topper:

heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the slices of french bread in a single layer on the top. Drizzle liberally with the olive oil and scatter with grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheesy bread is crisp and golden.