As a Jewish guy from NYC not living in NYC, the access to great Italian food that I experienced all over the Northeast has not yet hit the Rocky Mountains, despite how cool a food place Denver has become. I crave anything cooked with garlic and tomatoes. I buy tomatoes in jars from an amazing company in NY (citysaucery.com) that takes bruised heirlooms and produces some of the best products I’ve ever had.
For a winter night this is one of our faves. It can be made vegan. Or if that doesn’t interest you, you can finish with a little shaved parmesan and Mozzarella, or even include a sausage of your own liking. If made with sausage, we prefer a sweet Italian Chicken Sausage.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cippolini onion, chopped
1 large zucchini, “zoodled” (can be purchased pre-zoodled at most grocery stores)
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped red, yellow, and orange bell peppers
2 tablespoons Calabrian peppers
1 cup packed whole basil leaves
3 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt/pepper, to taste
Optional:
4 grilled Italian sausages, sliced (not vegan)
Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (not vegan)
Italian parmesan cheese, thinly shaved (not vegan)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven until shimmering.
Add garlic, cippolini onion, zoodled zucchini, and peppers and sauté for 1 minute. If not preparing a vegan version, cover this layer with thinly shaved Italian Parmesan Cheese; otherwise omit this layer. Cover with whole basil leaves and then the chopped cherry tomatoes and red wine vinegar.
Cover and cook for a minimum of 2 hours in a 200-degree oven. Uncover and roast the top layer at 325° for 20 minutes. Turn down heat to bake at 250° for 20 minutes.
If not preparing a vegan meal, add grilled sausage and cover with thinly sliced mozzarella. Serve immediately.