Cianfotta
A traditional Campanian summer vegetable stew of aubergine, sweet peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes cooked slowly in olive oil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 285 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 285 kcal
- fat
- 15 g
- carbs
- 32 g
- fibre
- 8 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 285 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
- 2
Add the sliced onion and garlic, cooking gently for five minutes until soft and fragrant.
- 3
Add the potato cubes and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently until lightly golden.
- 4
Stir in the aubergines and bell peppers, cooking for five minutes until they begin to soften.
- 5
Add the courgettes, chopped tomatoes, and fine sea salt, stirring well to combine.
- 6
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer gently for thirty minutes.
- 7
Uncover the pan and simmer for ten more minutes until the vegetables are tender and sauce thickens.
- 8
Remove from the heat, stir through the torn basil and oregano, then rest before serving.
Chef's tips
Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces so they soften at roughly the same rate. Cianfotta improves markedly after resting for a few hours, allowing the olive oil and vegetable juices to meld.
Ingredient substitutions
- ripe plum tomatoes → canned whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
- waxy potatoes → yellow-fleshed all-rounder potatoes that hold their shape
Storage
Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Serve at room temperature or warm gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cutting potatoes too small, which causes them to dissolve into mush during the slow simmer.
- •Cooking over high heat, which scorches the tomatoes instead of gently stewing the vegetables.
- •Serving immediately straight off the flame before the flavours have had time to settle.
Serving suggestions
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