Giambotta
This is a vegetable stew from the southern regions of Italy, popular south of Naples. The preparation of this stew varies slightly across different regions, but it typically includes key summer garden vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, etc. This dish is somewhat similar to minestrone soup and is likely a less-brothy stew version of the classic soup. It’s worth making a larger batch of giambotta and letting it sit for a while to be eaten the next day as it gets better with time. The vegetables can be cut exactly as preferred by the eater or the cook.
Preparation time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty level: Easy
Servings: Four to six
Ingredients:
Two medium zucchinis, cut into pieces
Two medium eggplants, cut into pieces
A large handful of young carrots, sliced into rounds
Two celery stalks, sliced thinly
One large onion, chopped
5-6 medium garlic cloves, coarsely crushed
A large handful of green beans
2-3 medium potatoes, cut into pieces
Two medium bell peppers, cut into pieces
A large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
One 400 ml can of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
A large handful of coarsely chopped basil
A large handful of coarsely chopped parsley
Additionally, a bit of other Italian herbs, such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, chopped or dried
Sea salt and about 0.25 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil for browning
Fresh herbs for garnish
A handful of grated or crushed Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on the dish
Preparation:
- Cut the zucchini, eggplant, celery, bell peppers, carrots, and potatoes.
- Chop the onion, crush the garlic, pour olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pot, and lightly sauté the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes.
- Chop the basil and parsley, cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Add the vegetables, green beans, basil, parsley, and cherry tomatoes to the onion and garlic.
- Add the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and Italian herbs, and season generously with black pepper and sea salt. The dish will likely need to be seasoned several times for salt.
- Stir and bring the dish to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes.
- When the potatoes and carrots are soft, the stew is ready. Season the dish if necessary and let it rest for about twenty minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
- When serving, sprinkle the dish with grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh herbs. The dish pairs well with pasta, meat, fish, or polenta, or it can be enjoyed on its own without any additional sides.
Ready!!