Monday 4 June 2012

Bellavitafoods: Peperonata, veggies on the side.

Bellavitafoods: Peperonata, veggies on the side.: It is true that we don't appreciate what we have until we don't have it anymore! I grew up in a little village in the mountains in Italy. ...

Peperonata, veggies on the side.


It is true that we don't appreciate what we have until we don't have it anymore!
I grew up in a little village in the mountains in Italy. My dad always had a big garden where he grew all types of veggies: tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, carrots,celery you name it!
We had our  own olive trees  and our own grapes to make wine, apples, pears, plums and strawberries.
Of course when I was little I didn't understand how lucky I was to have access to fresh fruits and veggies.
I just thought it was a lot of work to grow something when you could easily buy it at the store.
Now one of my happiest childhood memories is the one of me and my dad in the garden, he would put a big blanket under one of the trees and I would sit there eating fruit while he would work.
There is nothing that compares to the taste of a tomato freshly picked from the garden.
There where those days when my mom had so many veggies she didn't know what to do.
One of her favorite things to make was this veggie dish that she called "Peperonata", I think that it was  my mother's version of  "Rattatouille".
Anyway, this dish is really really easy, it takes 20 min to prepare and it is a healty yummy side dish for a meat meal or great idea for lunch served with a nice home made whole wheat baguette.
Enjoy.

Peperonata

1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
2 red peppers
3 tomatoes
2 cups sugar snap peas
6 TBLSP olive oil
1 tsp dry thyme
salt
pepper

Get your veggies ready.


In a pot heat the olive oil and add garlic, onions and eggplant.


Cook for 5 minutes then add the other veggies but not the tomatoes.


Cook for another 5 minutes and then add the tomatoes, thyme salt and pepper .


Cook for 10 minutes, but don't over cook the veggies, they should be cooked but not mushy.

Peperonata