Stuffed Vegetables

Name: Stuffed Vegetables
Yield: makes about 3 dozen vegetable morsels
Ingredients: 4 cups 1-inch cubes of day-old or dry country bread, crusts removed (about 4 thick slices); 1 cup milk; 1/4 ounce dried porcini (about 1/4 cup loosely packed pieces), soaked in 2 cups warm water; 1 cup finely chopped scallions; 10 large fresh basil leaves, finely chopped; 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 2 or more medium zucchini (6 inches long); 2 or more red or other colorful bell peppers; 12 or more large white stuffing mushrooms; 3 or more ripe small tomatoes; 2 or more large Vidalia or other sweet, flat onions; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; Butter for the baking dishes; 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano; 2 or more large shallow baking dishes or casseroles, such as 4-quart, 15-by-10-inch Pyrex pans

December 9, 2011

A platter of baked stuffed vegetables is one of the everyday delights of the Genovese table, and I always sample a seasonal assortment when I visit the city. The array is never exactly the same, and this recipe is a guideline that you can (and should) vary according to your tastes and what’s available. I give you one delicious and easy bread stuffing, along with procedures for preparing and baking a few of the most typical vegetables used in Genova—bell peppers, mushrooms, sweet onions, tomatoes, and zucchini. Many others can be substituted and will be delicious with this stuffing, including beets, fennel, squash, and even carrots. Of course, you don’t have to have every one of the vegetables I recommend. Stuff just a couple of different veggies, or just pick one, such as stuffed and baked big mushrooms, if that’s what you like. Like other Ligurian vegetable dishes, ripieni all’Antica can be served piping hot, warm, or at room temperature; presented on individual plates, or family-style on large platters. They make a great appetizer, a side dish for grilled steak, lamb, or chicken, or a vegetarian main course. And when I have a few leftover vegetables, I heat them up in the morning and top them with a fried or poached egg, for a special breakfast.

Recipe notes