Gianfottere - Oven-baked Vegetables
Gianfottere
Region: Italy, Campania
Category: Vegetables
Season: Fall
Difficulty: Easy but takes non-working time

This is a preparation for verdure al forno, mixed oven-baked vegetables, for which there are many variations depending on seasonality in Campania, Calabria, and Basilicata. In Campania, it is generally known as gianfottere. The secret to this dish is absolutely fresh vegetables, and if you can also use young heirloom-type vegetables, all the better. Although I provide some examples of various vegetable cultivars in the list of ingredients you can make do with whatever is locally available. The baking process slowly causes the vegetables to emit their natural sugars and the whole dish is quite heavenly. If you wish to serve it as a side dish it is nice with a golden roasted chicken.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or to taste

1/2 pound baby carrots (about 8), peeled, trimmed slightly, leaving on a bit of their stem

3/4 pound fingerling potatoes (about 4) or new Yukon Gold potatoes about the size of a golf ball, halved

3 small red onions (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

5 young summer (yellow) squash (about 1 pound), split in half lengthwise

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves

Pinch of saffron crumbled in a mortar with 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3/4 pound ripe Big Boy tomatoes (or similar), sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Lightly oil a 9 x 12-inch or similarly sized baking casserole. Arrange the carrots, potatoes, onions, and squash in the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and the garlic, basil, oregano, saffron, salt, and sugar. Stuff the rosemary sprigs in between the vegetables. Lay the tomatoes on top and season again with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining olive oil over the vegetables or oil to taste.

3. Bake until the tomatoes look like they have melted and the potato and carrot can be pierced easily by a skewer but are not breaking apart, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Posted: 09/30/2012

Referenced Recipes:

Roast Chicken