Verdure alla Griglia (Italian Grilled Vegetables)

Method

1. 1Prepare and slice the vegetables. Wash 1 medium eggplant (about 300 g), 2 medium zucchini (about 200 g each) and 2 bell peppers (one red, one yellow), and peel 1 red onion. Slice the eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into planks about ½ cm thick. Cut the peppers into strips 3–4 cm wide, removing the seeds and white ribs. Cut the onion into 6–8 wedges through the root, leaving the root end on so the layers hold together. Keep the thickness even so everything cooks at the same rate.
2. 2Dry the vegetables thoroughly. Pat every piece dry with paper towels or a clean cloth, cut sides included. A wet slice steams on the grill and comes out limp and pale, as if it had been boiled. A dry surface browns and takes clear grill marks.
3. 3Grill on a very hot pan. Heat a grill or a ridged cast-iron pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles away at once. Brush the dry vegetables lightly on both sides with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; do not salt them yet. Lay them in a single layer without overlapping: a 26–28 cm pan takes 6–8 pieces, so expect about six batches. Leave them alone for 2–4 minutes, until dark grill marks form, then turn them and give the second side another 2–4 minutes. Eggplant and zucchini are done when they are soft and bend easily; the peppers and onion can take up to 5 minutes per side and are done when the pepper skin blisters and the onion is tender at its thickest part.
4. 4Make the dressing. While the vegetables grill, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 10 g of chopped parsley (a small handful); that is about 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. White wine vinegar or lemon juice can replace the red wine vinegar in the same amount, and balsamic makes the dressing sweeter. Mint or basil can stand in for part of the parsley. The salt stays out of the dressing: it goes straight onto the vegetables in the next step.
5. 5Dress, rest and serve. Move each batch from the pan to a wide platter, slightly overlapping, and spoon a little of the dressing over it while it is still warm. When everything is on the platter, season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Let the vegetables rest for at least 30 minutes so they absorb the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature: straight from the fridge the oil is thick and the flavor is dull. Leftovers keep for 2–3 days in the fridge in an airtight container; take them out 30 minutes before serving.