Roasted vegetables - Catalan escalivada

Roasted vegetables are one of those Mediterranean diet recipes that are so humble that you wonder how it can be so delicious. Peppers and eggplants are indispensable, adding tomatoes and onions makes it more inviting and colorful.

	Roasted vegetables

Although traditionally vegetables were roasted on hot wood embers, oven roasted vegetables, as in this page's recipe, are a perfectly savory alternative.

One very important thing to remember is that every time you remove some roasted vegetables from the oven, you place them in a plate or bowl and cover them.

Alternatively, you can put them in paper bags, or wrap them with paper or aluminum foil. This step is done to keep the moisture. Steaming the roasted vegetables makes it much easier to peel them.

Let them cool for 10 minutes before you start peeling them, or until all vegetables are roasted, if this is more convenient for you.

Ingredients for this roasted vegetables recipe

Serves 4 as appetizer

• 3 red or half-red (or green) sweet large peppers or bell peppers
• 3 medium-sized eggplants  – Choose a sweet variety
• 4 medium-sized red tomatoes
• 2 medium size onions – Choose a sweet variety
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling – Catalan arbequina olive oil is best, but a mild Greek or Italian variety will do too
• Salt
• 1 clove minced garlic – Optional
• 1 sprig minced flat Italian parsley leaves – Optional
• Some black olives – Optional

Roasted vegetables recipe preparation method

Cooking time: 60 to 90 minutes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes.

1. Pierce the eggplants on two opposite sides with a fork to prevent bursting. Preheat the oven at about 375 ºF (190ºC).


2. Arrange the whole and unpeeled vegetables on a baking tray. Remember not to cut off the stems.


• The best is placing the peppers in the center where the heat is higher, the eggplants on the sides where there is less heat. The onions should be at the back where there is more heat, they need the longest time. Put the tomatoes on the sides where there is less heat, they are done the faster.


3. Put the baking tray with the vegetables to be roasted on the lower rack. Roast the vegetables in the oven. After 35 minutes turn them over with tongs. You should begin to see blackened skins.


4. Roast the vegetables for 15 more minutes. Now the tomatoes should be ready. Remove them from the oven. Turn the remaining vegetables over.


5. Roast them for about 15 more minutes. Remove the eggplants. Turn the peppers and the onions over.


6. Continue roasting the peppers and onions for 10 more minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven. They should have blackened on all sides.


7. Turn the onions over and roast them 10 to 15 more minutes depending on the size. Remove the onions from the oven.


8. Peel the roasted vegetables. Seed the peppers.


9. Now cut peppers and eggplants into strips lengthwise or serve them in bigger pieces. Cut the onions in half or in 4 pieces. Leave tomatoes whole or cut them in half.


10. Place vegetables in a serving plate. Drizzle the roasted vegetables with olive oil, and salt to taste.


11. Optionally, you can scatter minced garlic and flat Italian parsley over the roasted vegetables, and add some black olives.

Oven roasted vegetables