Ciambotta or Giamboota (Vegetable stew) is a traditional Italian
cuisine which is similar to soup and is prepared with loads of vegetables that are
cooked in stock or cooking liquid for a long time under a relatively low
temperature. Usually the common vegetables that are used to prepare this wonderful
and lip-smacking stew are eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, onion and various
herbs.
This vegetable-laden stew makes a delicious dinner when eaten with crusty bread or
rice. Of course you can feel free to experiment with your own seasonings, vegetables
or even choose to add cooked chicken or beef as per your choice. The recipe
of Italian Vegetable stew is quite simple and can easily be tailored to
your tastes.
This wonderful Italian cuisine is my family’s favorite and also very healthy and
appetizing. Today I am going to share with you the secret of making this recipe of a
really tasty vegetarian Italian stew.
Preparation time- 10 minutes
Cooking time- 30-35 minutes
Servings- 4-6 persons
Ingredients
1 Eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Onion, thinly sliced
2 tsps of extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 Carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup of green zucchini and yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into
1/4-inch-thick slices
5-6 fresh and ripe tomatoes, chopped finely
1/2 cup of red and yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 tsp of dried pepperoncini flakes
1 tsp of dried oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of water or as required
For Garnishing
1/4 cup fresh parsley with flat leaves, chopped
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsps of extra virgin Olive oil
Preparation
To start, Wash the vegetables under running water. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1
inch pieces and place them in water. Also cut the eggplant into 1inch cubes. Place
them in a colander and toss the cubes with 2 tsps of salt. Set it aside until it
starts to sweat out the bitter juices. Then rinse nicely and drain out the excess
water from them. Now peel the onions and garlic cloves. Cut the onion and celery
stalk into thin slices.
Finely chop the garlic cloves and keep them aside separately. Cut the green
zucchini, yellow squash and carrot, first into halves lengthwise and
then cut them into 1/4 inch- thick slices. Take fresh and ripe
tomatoes and chop them finely. Take handful of fresh parsley and finely chop them
and keep aside. Now as we are ready with all the vegetables let us proceed toward
preparing our delicious Italian vegetable stew.
How to Proceed
Heat olive oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add
chopped onions and sauté over medium high heat, stirring continuously. Then add
chopped garlic, pepperoncini flakes and sauté for 1-2 minute or until aromatic. Add
chopped celery, carrots, and cook for about 5-6 minutes or until they turn pale
golden. Now add 1/2 cup of water, chopped eggplant and cook covered.
Simmer for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant
becomes soft and tender. Stir in chopped zucchini and yellow squash, cook them for
few minutes. Then add dried oregano, salt, pepper and mix well. Add chopped
tomatoes, bell peppers and cook uncovered on a reduced heat for about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in between using a scooped spatula. Add some more water to adjust the
consistency and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for about 10-12
minutes or until the vegetables are cooked properly and are tender but not mushy.
Your lip-smacking stew is ready to relish. Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with
freshly chopped parsley, Parmesan cheese and drizzle some olive oil on the top.
Serve piping hot with Italian bread or over rice and ENJOY!
Tips
Add some water while stir frying the vegetables to avoid burning.
You can adjust the seasonings according to your taste and choices.
Cook for a long period on a very low flame so that all the flavors combine well.
Variations
There are several ways of making this vegetable laden stew more tempting and super
delicious. You can use vegetable stock or chicken stock instead of water to
make it more savory. You can use different veggies for a
variation like mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, leeks, fennel root,
green beans and herbs like basil, rosemary, saffron strands etc and see how it works
wonders for you.
Also you can try adding chicken chunks, beef, pork etc for a non-vegetarian
version. You can try adding cooked small shell pasta or Garbanzo beans
(Chickpeas) for an amazing twist. In this way try and use your own innovative
ideas and make your own favorite Italian vegetable stew!