[Recipe] Italian marinated vegetables

This Italian marinated vegetable recipe is incredible as it taste just like the antipasto dishes served at many Italian restaurants I have been to. The roasted vegetables are marinated in a garlicky vinaigrette.

The recipe was adapted from Chef Mario Batali’s Molto Italiano cookbook. Lucky me, I got Mario Batali to sign my copy during the 2014 Delicious Food Show in Toronto.

This is an adaptation of the recipe and the results are appetizing. The vegetables go well with a charcuterie board, an appetizer or a side dish.

Italian marinated vegetables

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 people

Author Mary Tang

Ingredients

1 large eggplant - cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 medium zucchini-cut into 1/2 inch slices about 1 1/2 pounds
1 red pepper- quartered
3 tsp of sea salt
8 white mushrooms with stems removed
1/2 cup of olive oil for roasting the veggies
1/2 cup of a mix of black and green olives
4 mint leaves

Dressing

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil have more handy
1/2 cup of white wine vinegar
3 cloves of garlic-minced
5 anchovy fillets. rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup of fresh basil-rough chop

Instructions

Roast the vegetables

Place the vegetables except for the mushrooms on a baking sheet. Add salt on both sides and drizzle the olive oil all over the veggies. Roast the vegetables at 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and mix well. Taste it and adjust as needed. Pour the mixture over the roasted vegetables and add the mushrooms and olives.
When cooled, put the vegetables in the fridge to marinate overnight.
Take them out several hours before serving. Serve the vegetables at room temperature. Top with any remaining fresh herbs like mint.

Recipe Notes

The vegetables can be grilled rather than be cooked in the oven.

Mario Batali's recipe mentioned to leave the vegetables out on the counter to marinade overnight but I prefer to leave mine in the fridge overnight.

Feel free to substitute the vinegar for red wine vinegar, as well as the vegetables.

I have made similar variations of this dish combining white wine and red wine vinegar, or adding basil and oregano. I have used up to 6 garlic cloves for an extra garlic kick.