I have been very busy and neglecting my blog! Today it is cold and rainy outside and I decided that this recipe would warm us & it sure did the trick---my husband loved it! The ingredients for Ciambotta can be varied according to what you have on hand and the flavours you prefer. It is a vegetable stew and I added beans to mine to increase the fibre and protein content.I added baby spinach to increase the iron content. I also added chili peppers to "heat" it up a bit. You can serve it with some crusty italian bread or any bread of your choice.This recipe makes 6 accompaniment servings or 3 main meal servings. It is also vegan!Ingredients:
3 tbsps olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (3 medium), cut lengthwise in half, then into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (3 medium), peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried chili peppers (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 can (16 oz) mixed beans: kidney; white and chickpea
2 cups baby spinach
1. In non-reactive 12 inch skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onion & garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add red peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until red peppers are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes longer.
2. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and zucchini; cook, stirring, until zucchini are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili peppers; spinach and canned beans; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil.
