Escalivada

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 230°C. Line a tray with baking paper if desired for easier cleanup. Halve the eggplant lengthwise, quarter the onion, leave the peppers whole, and keep the garlic cloves in their skins. Rub the eggplant cut sides, peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, then season with salt and scatter over the thyme.

2. 2

   Arrange the vegetables on the tray with the eggplant cut side down and the onion in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, turning the peppers and onion once halfway through, until the peppers are blistered and collapsing, the onion is tender with browned edges, and a knife slides easily into the eggplant. If the garlic is soft earlier, remove it after about 20 minutes so it does not burn.

3. 3

   Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover for 10 minutes so the skins loosen. Let the eggplant and onion cool just enough to handle. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins.

4. 4

   Peel the peppers and remove the seeds. Scoop the eggplant flesh from the skins. Cut the peppers, eggplant, and onion into long strips, then place them on a serving plate. Mash the roasted garlic into a rough paste and spoon it over the vegetables.

5. 5

   Finish with the remaining olive oil and a final pinch of salt. Serve warm or at room temperature; the flavor is best after a few minutes of settling.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For a more traditional smoky flavor, char the peppers and eggplant under a grill/broiler or over a flame before finishing in the oven.
• •Do not over-stir after roasting; keeping the vegetables in strips gives escalivada its classic texture.
• •Serve with crusty bread, alongside grilled cheese, or topped with olives or anchovies if you are not keeping it vegetarian.
• •Any leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and are excellent at room temperature.

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