A simple but delicious recipe for roasted eggplants and zucchini in the oven. Can be used as a side dish for meat but it also stands alone as a light meal. The Greek Briam!
Meat-based meals are great…every man or woman loves them. Well, may be vegetarians don’t! But lucky for them, Mother Nature has so many options to offer them.
I am far from being vegetarian, I am sure you have realized that by now, my fellow readers. But every now and then I feel I need to stay away from meat, just to do a small favor for my arteries. What I enjoy doing is throw my favorite vegetables in a tray, top them with olive oil and fresh tomato paste and just bake them!
Favorite vegetables include eggplants and zucchini of course. To beef it up, why not add some potatoes? At the end, it looks what the Greeks call “Briam”, a simple but delicious dish made by seasonal vegetables in the summer. It has a Turkish sound in the name so I have the suspicion that it has some Middle Eastern roots. In any case, I love it!
You can use it as a main light meal or as a side dish together with your stake or burgers. Me, I love it the way it is, with some crumbled Feta on top. Yummy!
- 2 eggplants cut in large cubes.
- 2-3 zucchini cut in large pieces.
- 2-3 large potatoes cut in large pieces.
- 2 red peppers sliced.
- 1 large onion coarsely chopped.
- 2-3 large sweet and ripe tomatoes.
- 3-4 garlic cloves.
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley.
- 1 teaspoon of tomato paste.
- 1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Salt and ground pepper.
- Preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 F).
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley and garlic into a blender and make a smooth paste.
- Add the eggplants, zucchini, potatoes and peppers to a large tray. Pour in the olive oil and the fresh tomato paste. Add the oregano, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add 1-2 cups of hot water so that the juices cover the vegetables halfway.
- Cover the tray with kitchen foil and cook for ~ 30 minutes at 200 C (390 F).
- Uncover the tray, give it a gentle stir so you don't break the vegetables and continue cooking at 180 Celsius (360 F) for around 40 minutes until the vegetables start getting brown and crispy. Check from time to time to make sure that the vegetables, especially the potatoes, are cooked on both sides.
- minutes before you finish cooking, top the tray with some crumbled Feta cheese (optional).
- Bon appetit!
