Escalivada
Ingredients for 4 persons
- 4 aubergines (medium/small)
- 4 large red peppers
- 3 small tomatoes
- 4 small onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
- optional garnish: broad beans, anchovies, cured ham/hard cheese shavings
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4.
Wash all the vegetables and lay the aubergines, peppers and onions on a baking tray. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Turn the vegetables and add the tomatoes, returning the tray to the oven for a further 15 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked.
Remove the vegetables from the tray and tightly wrap each type separately using kitchen foil or newspaper. Leave to rest in the wrapping for 20 minutes.
Peel each vegetable and remove the seeds from the peppers. Once all pieces are peeled, cut all vegetables into thin strips and place on a tray. Sprinkle with finely chopped garlic, adding any optional garnish if desired and finishing with a generous pouring of olive oil.
Presentation: Escalivada is served warm and presented on a tray at the centre of the table. Each vegetable’s strips are grouped separately so that the tray contains 4 mounds side by side. To eat as a starter, place a few strips of each vegetable on a piece of warm toasted baguette. Escalivada can also be served as a side dish with chicken or fish.
Cooking tip: If you have access to a grill, you can cook the vegetables on the grill instead of the oven, as it was originally prepared. Wrap the vegetables with kitchen foil to avoid charring them.
About this dish: Escalivada originates in Catalonia. Mountain shepherds used to build a hardwood fire near pastures and grilled a medley of vegetables. Some writers call this a Catalan-style ratatouille, but escalivada more closely resembles the Tunisian salata mishwiyya, to which it may be historically related.
Curiosity: Escalivar means to cook in hot ashes. Typically the vegetables in an escalivada were grilled, and the dish was served with grilled meats..
