AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

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 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

Cianfotta a minestra (vegetable stew) Cianfotta (pronounced chon like John - fo like so - tt pronounce both t’s and the final ä.  There is no real translation in formal Italian because cianfotta is Neapolitan dialect but its made with vegetables and its thick so vegetable stew is as close as we can really come.  In any case, though, its a healthful, hearty, delicious addition to any meal or even a meal in itself.   

Ingredients for 4 persons

Onions                                             4 medium

Potatoes                                            6

Bell peppers (red & green)                 2

Eggplants                                         2 large

Carrot                                              1 large

Tomatoes (very ripe Italian plum)      1 pound

Celery (minced)                                1 or 2 stalks

Black pepper                                     to taste

Salt                                                   to taste

Olive oil                                            as needed

How To Do It

Cut the eggplant into bite-sized pieces, place them in a bowl and cover them generously with salt.

Put the eggplant aside for 20 minutes (this process will remove the bitterness from the eggplant).

Slice the onions into fairly thick slices.

Cut the potatoes, tomatoes and peppers into bite-sized pieces.

Slice the carrot into thick slices.

At the end of the twenty minutes, rinse all the salt off the eggplant pieces (be sure to rinse them really well or they may come out very salty).

Place all ingredients in a tall pot.

Season with olive oil (This is a judgment call - I like olive oil and would personally out in about half a cup), salt, and black pepper.

Cover all with water and cook over a medium flame until all vegetables are cooked and very tender.

Check again for salt and add if necessary.

Serve hot, but not scalding.