Ingredients for 6 people:400 g boiled (or tinned) chickpeas2 zucchini zucchini1 aubergine
1 stalk of celery2 carrot250 g cherry tomatoes1 large red bell pepper (or two small ones of different colours)½ Tropea onion (or another, sweet type)1 untreated lemon5 tbsp Balsamico Bianco10 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 sprig of fresh rosemary (is you can’t find any, use 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Rosemary)1 hot chilli pepper salt
Wash, pat dry and clean the vegetables. Cut the zucchini into thin, round slices; the carrot into strips, using a potato peeler; the aubergine and celery into small pieces. Divide the pepper in half lengthwise, eliminate the internal filaments and cut it into strips. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Heat a grill pan (or a large heavy-bottom frying pan, greased with a little oil) and cook the celery, turning it over from time to time, then add the pieces of zucchini and aubergine; grill them on both sides until they begin to brown (they mustn’t overcook). Season with salt and put them to one side. Drain the liquid from the chickpeas, rinse them well with cold water and strain them thoroughly. Now prepare the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice and Balsamico Bianco, the chilli pepper (or possibly just half, according to taste) broken up by hand, the leaves of half the sprig of rosemary – set the tip aside and use the lower part – finely chopped and some salt. Pour the dressing into a large salad bowl with the vegetables (both the grilled ones and the raw ones) and the chickpeas; give everything a good stir and, before serving, garnish with the tip of the sprig of rosemary and a few very thin slices of onion.
Note: If you add chunks of pecorino cheese to it, this tempting summer salad becomes an all-in-one dish, ideal for lunch or dinner. The grilled vegetables can also be used for a bruschetta or on mini fried pizzas (see the following page). In this case it’s better not to use tomato, but to chop (into small pieces) and grill all the vegetables, adding half an onion and a pinch of chilli pepper.