Grandmas Giambotta Food

CIAMBOTTA (GIAMBOTTA)

Steps:

• Add olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat.
• Once hot, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
• Add the garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant.
• Add the potatoes and eggplant, stir to toss with the onions and garlic and let cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers, toss to combine, cover with a lid and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove lid, season to taste with salt and pepper, add the basil and parsley and cook an additional 5 minutes.
• Serve as desired with crusty bread, over rice, with added white beans, etc.

ITALIAN GIAMBOTTA

Steps:

• In a cast iron skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add all the remaining vegetables, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir well and cover the pan. Let cook on a low flame for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove cover and continue to cook vegetables until tender and no cooking liquid remains in the skillet, about 15 minutes more. Adjust seasoning and serve hot, or cool down.

VEGETABLE STEW (GIAMBOTTA)

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, bay, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies. Work next to the stove and drop as you chop, in order of longest cooking time: potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add tomatoes and stock and cook 5 minutes more, to heat through. Turn heat off and stir in basil.
• Char bread under broiler and rub with cracked garlic then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, top with cheese and pepper and return to the broiler for 30 seconds to brown cheese. Serve cheese whole-grain toast with bowls of vegetable stew.

GIAMBOTTA

Steps:

• Heat skillet over medium heat.
• Add oil and coat pan.
• Add garlic and cook until soft, but not brown.
• Drain liquid from tomatoes and reserve.
• Add tomatoes and oregano to pan and cook 20-30 minutes over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
• While tomatoes are cooking parboil potatoes and beans separately (I've nuked potatoes in the micro and obtained satisfactory results- it's quicker than boiling).
• Drain cooked (al dente preferably) beans and add them to the tomato mixture.
• Cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes and add to sauce.
• Cook for another 5-10 minutes (if the mixture needs more moisture or you just prefer this dish saucier you can add some of the reserved liquid at this stage).
• Salt and pepper to taste.

GRANDMA'S GIAMBOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 deg. Spread zucchini and eggplant on a cookie sheet lined with foil, drizzle with 2 T olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in oven 40 minutes, stirring occassionally. While vegetables are roasted, saute the garlic and onion in a large heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat until soft and just starting to turn golden. Add in potatoes and peppers, cook for 5 minutes. Add in tomatoes, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in wine, broth, herbs, cinnamon and red pepper. Stir in roasted vegetables. Let simmer on medium low heat 25 minutes. Stir in beans. Check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer another 10 minutes. Serve with fresh grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese.

GIAMBOTTA

Steps:

• Sweat the garlic, onion and salt in the oil for 5-7 minutes on a low heat in a covered pan. Stir frequently.
• While that is sweating, chop up the vegetables. First add the eggplant, then potatoes, fennel, pepper, zuchinni, and tomatoes.
• Sprinkle in the dried basil now, but save the fresh to add at the end if using that.
• Increase heat and simmer for 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.