Sataraš - Sautéed mixed vegetables - Verdura mista saltata

I could tell you that I spend every holiday at home in Croatia, but you know this already...

And you also know how much inspiration I find in my parent's garden with the splendid sea-view...

Do you know what are emigrants craving for while they are abroad...their traditional food (parents excluded, of course)!

To make me feel longer at home, I pack our car with all possible home-made and home-grown stuff and despite the initial debate with the "car driver" about the best way to arrange stuff in the car, at the end of the story, every single vegetable and preserve arrive safe and intact to Italy. When we arrived to our destination, even the car driver was happy that we brought all that goodness from home, but only at the end and only after we unloaded our car, because then I took full responsibility of my vegetables and preserves. And then my activity in the kitchen started again...

So, that day arrived punctually, the very last day of my summer holidays, the day I was fearing since I arraived home...but how can you say "no" to all the fresh, organic and healthy vegetables ready and perfectly packed in several boxes....several boxes, not one or two small boxes...several, but perfectly packed boxes.

Our journey is not too long, even though, perfectly packed boxes help to arrange our stuff in the car boot in the best way. Means that all our stuff I usually bring with me, eventually should be brought back again in addition to my perfectly packed boxes with vegetables and preserves! To approach our journey very peacefully, whenever someone (read: the driver!) showed signs of disapproval by objecting the quantity of perfectly  packed boxes full of vegetables to be arranged in the car boot, I took deep breath and replied: "Look, there is an empty space overthere, so no worries, all will fit...perfectly!"

This simple dish I'm showing you here, my mother usually serve with scrambled eggs. It was our summer comfort food since ever, quick and easy to prepare, healthy and very seasonal. Sometimes we use to serve it with some meet too and I really love it, maybe with some soft fresh bread...

Nowadays I switched my choice to rice, usually I cook some perfumed basmati rice and add to it these colorful and juicy vegetables. Basmati rice cooked like pilaf is dry and need some sauce as side dish, so I find it is really a perfect combination.

SATARAŠ

10 paradajz paprika srednje veličine

2 luka srednje veličine

20 cherry rajčica * ili 2 velike rajčice izrezan na kriške bez sjemenki i bez kože

2 žlice ekstra djevičanskog maslinovog ulja

sol

Oprati papriku i rajčice.

Oguliti luk i narezati ga na kriške.

Izreati paprike na kriške i cherry rajčice na pola.

U tavi zagrijte ulje, dodati papriku i dinstati ih 10 minuta. Dodati luk i posoliti, te nastaviti kuhati još 10 minuta.

Potom dodati rajčice i još malo soli i kuhati povrće dok se sva tekućina koju je ispustilo povrće pretvori u gusti umak.

* Ako koristite cherry rajčice, nije ih potrebno guliti i izvaditi sjemenke.

SAUTEED MIXED VEGETABLES

10 medium tomato shape pappers

2 medium onions

20 cherry tomatos* or 2 big tomatos cut in slices without seeds and peel

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt

Wash pappers and tomatos.

Peel the onion and cut in slices.

Cut pappers  in slices and half cherry tomatos.

In a casserole heat olive oil, add pappers and sauté for 10 minuts. Add onion and salt and continue cooking for another 10 minuts.

Add cherry tomatos and another pinch of salt and continue cooking untill the liquid from the vegetables turn into dense sauce.

* If you use cherry tomatos, you don't have to peel them and remove seeds.

VERDURA MISTA SALTATA

10 peperoni rotondi medi

2 cipolle bianche medie

20 pomodorini* oppure 2 pomodori grandi tagliati a fette senza semi e senza pelle

2 cucchiai di olio extravergine di oliva

sale

Lavare peperoni e pomodori.

Sbucciare e affettare la cipolla.

Tagliare i peperoni a fette e pomodorini a metà.

In una casseruola scaldare l'olio, aggiungere i peperoni e farli rosolare per 10 minuti. Aggiungere la cipolla e il sale e continuare con la cottura per altri 10 minuti.

A questo punto aggiungere i pomodori e altro po' di sale e cucinare le verdure fino a quando il liquido che hanno rilasciato le verdure diventerà un salsa densa.
* Se usate i pomodorini non è necessario spelarli e estrarre i semi.