Categories: Italian, Main Dish, Rachael Ray, Stew
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
- 1 bay leaves, fresh or 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, cracked from skin
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 eggplant, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- salt, to taste
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional, for that extra zing)
- italian seasoning, to taste
- 28 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes (from a can)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup torn chopped fresh basil (10 to 12 leaves) or 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
- 4 slices whole wheat crusty bread (1-inch thick)
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
Directions
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Preheat broiler.
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Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat.
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Add extra-virgin olive oil, bay, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies.
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Work next to the stove and drop as you chop, in order of longest cooking time: potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper.
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Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Uncover and add tomatoes and stock and cook 5 minutes more, to heat through.
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Turn heat off and stir in basil(we don’t use basil here — instead we add Italian Seasoning and some parsley)
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Char bread under broiler and rub with cracked garlic then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, top with cheese and pepper and return to the broiler for 30 seconds to brown cheese.
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Serve cheese whole-grain toast with bowls of vegetable stew.