Ingredients: You can use almost any vegetables you wish, but traditionally the Grigliata would include eggplant, zucchini, peppers and sometimes fennel. Usually red and yellow peppers are best, but green peppers can be used as well to suit your taste. We also like onions (can be substituted for fennel to taste), chopped garlic and mushrooms.
- Chop the vegetables into slices. Thinner slices will cook faster, and mushrooms cook fastest. Peppers will cook slowly.
- Place all the vegetables into a bowl and add olive oil (don’t be shy), salt and black pepper. Breadcrumbs are optional.
- Place the vegetables on a preheated, hot skillet or grill, and move them around to assure they do not stick.
- Zucchini and eggplant will be done when somewhat transparent, watch mushrooms carefully so they do not overcook and leave peppers in to taste.
- Place cooked slices in a tray or dish and keep warm until everything is cooked.
- Serve immediately.
Thanks to Kevin Brick for leading us closest to this recipe, as well as Cooking with Patty and Clifford A Wright. There are lots of versions out there - even Jamie Oliver has a version, recommending adding red wine vinegar and a few other tweaks. Most recommend peeling the peppers, but the skin is where the nutrients are, so we prefer to leave them as is. Besides, don't you love that brown look they get when getting done?
One of the things we love about Italy is going to the grocery stores - even on the Autostrada where you can find the AutoGrille. To cook Italian, you need to have ingredients, so we look for local Italian markets. In Atlanta, for example, a good one is the 48th Street Market not far from the Perimeter Mall area.