This traditional stew belongs to "Ladera", a category of vegetable dishes found in all the cuisines of the Mediterranean. The name "Ladera" means "with (olive) oil". The recipe comes from my grandma. Summer is coming. Enjoy!!!
Cut off the green stalk of the eggplant with a sharp knife and discard. Cut the eggplant into rounds of 2cm thickness and salt them before cooking. Cut potatoes into chunks.
Heat ½ cup of vegetable oil in a skillet. Begin with frying the potatoes on medium-high heat, turning once, until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Salt and set them aside. Now the eggplants: Dry each piece with kitchen paper before placing it into oil. Fry eggplant on one side until you see edges turning golden brown then flip over on the other side. After about 5 minutes remove from oil and set aside.
Prepare the tomato sauce: Grate each half of the tomato on the largest holes of a grater over a bowl until all that’s left is the flattened tomato skin to be discarded. Place a nonstick low stock pot over low heat and add olive oil. Add tomatoes, the bay leaves, garlic, the stock, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Stir to incorporate. Cook with lid closed for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place evenly potatoes and eggplant into the sauce. If needed, add some water to cover the vegetables. Stir gently to coat with the sauce. Cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce thickens. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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