Rachel Roddy’s Ciambotta Calabrese (Calabrian-style tomato, potato and aubergine stew).

- Rachel Roddy’s recipe for tomato, potato and aubergine stew | Food | The Guardian

Serves 4

600g ripe tomatoes
1 large onion
1 large potato
2 red peppers
2 medium aubergines
Olive oil
Salt

Peel the tomatoes by plunging them into boiling water for two minutes, then under cold water, at which point the skins should slip away. Chop the tomatoes roughly (scooping out the seeds, if you wish). Peel and slice the onion into half moons and chop the peeled potato, red pepper and aubergines into chunks the size of a nutmeg.

In a large, wide frying pan or casserole, fry the onion in plenty of olive oil and a pinch of salt over a low-medium heat, until soft and translucent. Add the potato, stir and add a small glass of warm water so the potatoes bubble. After five minutes, add the tomato and allow to simmer gently for 30–40 minutes or until soft, rich and saucy (add a little water if it starts to look dry).

Now you have two options: you can simply add the aubergine and peppers to the pan about 10 minutes after the potatoes and cook everything together. Alternatively, in a separate pan in a couple of inches of olive oil, fry the chunks of aubergine and pepper in batches until soft and golden, draining on kitchen towel and then stir into the tomato in the last few minutes of cooking. Either way, once cooked, taste and add salt as necessary. Serve at room temperature.