Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

• 6 bell peppers (red, yellow…)
• 4 medium zucchini (courgettes)
• 1-2 eggplants (aubergines)
• 400 g (14 oz) frozen artichoke hearts
• 1 large bunch cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 1 pinch sugar

For the marinade

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinegar)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, germ removed and quartered
• 1 level Tbsp dried thyme or a few sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt, pepper

For the pesto

• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and germ removed
• 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp) olive oil
• 2 Tbsp almond flour (or grated Parmesan)

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Making the pesto

Put all the pesto ingredients in a mini food processor and blend until smooth.

Roasting the vegetables

In the ingredient list I’ve given the vegetables I usually make, but of course you can adjust according to the season, your tastes and what you have at home. I suggest doing part of the cooking on a plancha (flat-top grill) because it tastes great and saves time, but everything can be done in the oven, in several batches.

Bell peppers

1. Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F) on the broil (grill) setting. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, until the skin has blackened. They’re ready when they look like the photo below; when you peel off the skin, you’ll see that underneath they aren’t browned at all. Transfer them to an airtight container as soon as they come out of the oven and let cool. This trick makes the skin slip off easily so you can get them into the marinade.

2. Make the marinade in a large dish: pour in the olive oil, then add the peeled, quartered garlic cloves, the balsamic glaze and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add the peppers, peeled and lightly drained. Toss to coat them in the marinade.

Cherry tomatoes

3. Place the cherry tomatoes on the parchment-lined baking sheet, salt lightly, add a pinch of sugar and a drizzle of olive oil, and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Zucchini and eggplant

4. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into rounds or strips. While the peppers are roasting, heat a plancha or grill pan and grill them over medium heat. I use just a tiny drizzle of oil, no more; if the heat isn’t too high, the vegetables will grill without burning and release their water. Add them to the dish, tossing gently to coat.

Artichokes

5. Baby artichokes are perfect for this recipe, but if you don’t have any, good-quality frozen artichoke hearts will be just fine. Let them thaw halfway, cut them in two or three depending on their size, and cook them the same way as the zucchini and eggplant. Add them to the dish.

Once all the vegetables are in the marinade, drizzle with a little olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours and up to a few days.

When ready to serve, arrange the vegetables on a serving platter, draining them gently. Don’t throw away the marinade oil: it’s wonderfully fragrant and you can use it to dress your beef carpaccio or, at a dairy meal, a burrata. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the pesto.

Tips

• These antipasti vegetables are also delicious in homemade panini.