Grilled vegetables (Verdure alla piastra)
This is a quick way to prepare an "antipasto di verdure" (vegetable starter). However, vegetables cooked and seasoned in the way I am going to show you, can also be used as a side dish or as a filling for your sandwiches. Preparation is so simple that I am not going to tell you how much of this or how much of that; just play it by ear!
Instructions
- In this case, I took one aubergine/eggplant and one courgette. Cut them in 3 mm (1/8") thick slices. Then, take a small handul of flat leaf parsley and roughly chop it (you will use this parsley for the final seasoning).
- A few hours before cooking the vegetables, put some extra virgin olive oil (about a glass) into a small container together with a couple of cloves of garlic (grossly cut) and a dash of parsley. Close the container with its lid and let the olive oil absorb the flafours. At the time of cooking, pour the container contents into a tray (any tray) in which you will accomodate the grilled vegetables.
- Bring tha cast iron grill pan at cooking temperature and start cooking all your slices. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until you see the characteristic blackened stripes.
- During the cooking, you can also apply a thin coat of oil onto the slices.
- Once the vegetable slices are cookied, put them into the tray. Sprinkle with some extra parsley.
- Season with salt.
- Season with white pepper or, if you love it hot, cut a fresh red chilli in thin slices and sprinkle them over.
- If it looks too dry, do not be worried; add some extra olive oil, but remember not to exaggerate!
- Stir everything together.
- Cover the tray with cling film.
- Let it marinate for a couple of hours before serving it cold.
Notes
Buon appetito!
Federico Pezzaioli
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