Vegetable Stew (Giambotta)

By ASurek

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus some to drizzle
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped, 1 whole cracked from skin
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 (28 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• 1/2 cup torn basil
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino

Preparation

Step 1

Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat.
Add olive oil, bay leaf, garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies. Worked 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 papper. 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. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.