Summer Scafata

Submitted by Sharon123

"From Mario Batali in the cookbook, The Chew Food. Life. Fun. Mario says, "The French, with their ratatouille, may think they've cornered the market on fun words for a vegetable stew, but all that means is they have never heard of the dish called scafata. It's a traditional Friulian dish that the great Lidia Bastianich first made for me". Mario liked it so much, he tried it with summer vegetables and the following recipe was his, and now yours, reward. Enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon hot red chili pepper flakes
• 1 large fennel bulb, diced
• 2 lbs zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• 1⁄4 cup basil leaves
• drizzle of good balsamic vinegar (optional)

directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 12" saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Add the onion, red pepper flakes, and fennel, and cook unti lthe fennel is tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and pepper, and cook over medium low heat until the zucchini and tomatoes have broken down a bit, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Season with salt.
5. Tear the basil leaves into pieces, sprinkle over the scafata, and serve.
6. This dish is also good at room temperature served over grilled or toasted bread with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.