Verdure grigliate
Grilled vegetables
Verdure grigliate: Italian grilled aubergine, courgette and peppers dressed with olive oil, garlic and herbs
Every Italian region has its plate of verdure grigliate, laid out on summer lunch tables from Puglia to Liguria as part of the antipasti, or eaten as a side to bread and cheese. Slices of aubergine, courgette and pepper are grilled dry until striped and soft, then dressed afterwards in good olive oil, garlic, parsley and a little vinegar so they soak it up as they cool. It is vegan and light, with about 3 g of protein per portion; add a ball of mozzarella or a can of white beans to make it a meal. The common mistake is oiling the vegetables before grilling: they smoke, burn and turn greasy. Chef's tip: make it a few hours ahead; the dressing works its way in and it tastes better at room temperature than hot.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 auberginelarge, cut lengthways into 1 cm slices
- 2 courgettescut lengthways into 7 mm slices
- 1 tsp saltflaky salt
For the dressing
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlicvery thinly sliced
- ½ oz flat-leaf parsleychopped
- 6 mint leaves (optional)torn
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp dried oregano
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, ½ oz flat-leaf parsley, 6 mint leaves, if using, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and ½ tsp dried oregano in a wide dish.
Step 2: Heat a ridged griddle pan or barbecue until very hot. Grill 2 red and yellow peppers whole, turning, until blackened all over. Put them in a bowl, cover and leave to steam.
12 minStep 3: Grill the dry slices of 1 aubergine in batches until deeply striped on both sides and soft right through, with no white, spongy centre. Lay them in the dressing as they come off.
8 minStep 4: Grill 2 courgettes the same way until striped and just tender, and add them to the dish.
5 minStep 5: Peel and seed the peppers, tear into strips and add to the dish. Season with 1 tsp salt and turn everything gently in the dressing.
Step 6: Leave for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving, or chill for up to 3 days and bring back to room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does verdure grigliate take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of courgettes?
- Cucumber, same weight (raw dishes only).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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