Recipe: Escalivada

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ESCALIVADA

Escalivada is a traditional Catalan dish made with peppers, aubergines, onions and peeled tomatoes. The name Escalivada comes from the Catalan verb escalivar, meaning to cook slowly in ashes for a chargrilled result. However, this recipe uses the more common method of oven-baking the vegetables. It’s a wonderfully simple dish that is perfect to enjoy al fresco on warm evenings throughout the summer. These roasted vegetables are usually eaten as an appetiser, and may sometimes be accompanied by sausage, such as butifarra or fuet, or goats’ cheese. It can also be served as a side dish to complement a meaty main course. Escalivada is typically served warm, but can be enjoyed at any temperature.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 red peppers
  • 2 aubergines
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 100g black olives
  • 12 anchovies
  • Oil and salt

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Wash and pat dry the vegetables.
  3. Toss the peppers, onions, aubergines and garlic in olive oil, and place them on a tray in the oven for about 50 minutes.
  4. Halfway through cooking, after about 20-25 minutes, take them out and turn them.
  5. When cooked, leave them in the oven to cool. Once cool, peel and remove the seeds from the peppers and aubergines.
  6. Cut the peppers, aubergines and onions into strips, and lay them out in a dish, together with the black olives and anchovies.
  7. Season everything with pepper, salt and oil to taste. The vegetables are typically served on top of a slice of toasted coca—Catalan flatbread.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • For more flavour, the vegetables can be grilled in a wood burning oven (if available).
  • If the dish is a little too simple for you, feel free to add roasted sausages, tuna, cod, herring, roast potatoes or other vegetables, such as courgette or tomatoes.
  • Add a little turmeric when seasoning for extra taste.