Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 zucchini (200 g) in 1.5 cm cubes
- 1 red pepper (150 g) in 1.5 cm cubes
- 1 medium onion (120 g) in 1 cm cubes
- 250 g crushed tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves (10 g), chopped
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs (110 g) and 10 ml oil to fry them
- 3 g salt and 1 g black pepper
Method
Hob power: the scale goes from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest). If your hob has another scale, use 1-2 for very gentle heat, 4-5 for medium and 7-9 for high.
1.- Cut the zucchini and pepper into 1.5 cm cubes, the onion into 1 cm cubes and chop the garlic.
2.- Heat 50 ml of oil in a 24 cm pot on power 5 of 9 for 2 minutes. Add onion, pepper and garlic and sauté 8 minutes, stirring.
3.- Add the zucchini and 1 g of salt and sauté another 6 minutes on power 5 of 9.
4.- Add the tomato, raise to power 6 of 9 for 1 minute and lower to power 3 of 9. Half cover and cook 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until thick and the oil separates.
5.- Fry the eggs in 10 ml of oil on power 7 of 9 for 2 minutes. Serve the pisto with an egg on top.
Origin and history of pisto
It is a dish from La Mancha’s vegetable gardens, in Castilla-La Mancha, where it has been cooked for centuries with summer vegetables. It is a relative of French ratatouille and Catalan samfaina, and is served as a side, a tapa or a main with egg.
Best time to eat it
Best in summer and early autumn, when zucchini, peppers and tomatoes are in season. Canned versions are available all year.
Tips and common mistakes
The longer it simmers on low heat, the sweeter it gets. It improves overnight: it keeps 4 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
You may also like: Spanish omelette (tortilla de patatas), Andalusian gazpacho, Pad thai.