I made Andalusian gazpacho with hard boiled eggs and homemade croutons. I didn’t have Serrano ham, because I live in Italy, so I cubed Scamorza affumicata (a nice chewy, smoked cheese) and put some in the soup along with the egg and croutons. It worked out really well. Grilled zucchini on the side.

Pie stuffed with a beef, onions, carrots, mushrooms and Guinness stew

Made this for dinner, I think it is the first time ever that I actually made an omlette that didn't turn out like a traffic-accident. Was delicious with the added cheddar cheese and garlic.

The dough was from Lidl (Italian week).

Vegetable marrow pottage made with plenty of dill and lemon, paired with a piece of baked haddock. Wonderful in the summer.

Simple pan baked pork slice, with a red wine jus and tallow fried potatoes.

Veggies and marinade beef (sweet and sour)

There will be grilled Shish Tavuk, Merguez and Chevap later

Roasted zucchini, onions and garlic in olive oil, gently simmered in a rich tomato sauce, then finished with fresh basil and Parmesan. This dish brings back one of my favorite childhood memories. Our elderly neighbor in Tuscany used to serve it cold with fresh mortadella, aged Pecorino, and crusty bread. She passed away many years ago, but this is the closest I’ve ever come to tasting her version again.

As you lovely people asked for the Recipe, I made it with chatgpt, Hope it helps:

# Tuscan Roasted Zucchini Skillet

This is one of those recipes where **the flavor comes almost entirely from proper browning**. You don't need many ingredients—just patience and good roasting.

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# Ingredients

- 2–3 medium zucchini
- 1 large onion
- 3–4 cloves garlic
- 200–300 g (7–10 oz) plain tomato passata
- Fresh basil
- 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
- Parmesan or Pecorino (optional)
- Good extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper

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# The Secret: Roast Everything Properly

The entire dish is built around **deep caramelization and roasted flavors**.

Personally, I like my zucchini **very dark**, with a few almost black spots. Those are exactly where the most flavor develops.

That said, this is completely personal preference. Some people prefer only light golden brown zucchini. Roast it as much or as little as you like.

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# Ways to Roast the Zucchini

There isn't just one "correct" way. The important thing is getting plenty of color.

### Pan (my preferred method)

Slice the zucchini into rounds, quarters or chunky pieces.

Heat a large pan over fairly high heat with a little olive oil.

**Don't overcrowd the pan.**

If you add too much zucchini at once, it releases water and starts steaming instead of browning.

Cook in batches if necessary and let the zucchini develop a deep golden-brown crust.

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### Oven

Roasting in the oven works beautifully as well.

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### Air Fryer

The air fryer is another great option and produces excellent browning.

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### Charcoal Grill

If you really want to take it to another level, roast the zucchini over charcoal.

The smoky flavor works incredibly well in this dish, although not everyone enjoys such a pronounced smoke aroma.

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# Building the Sauce

Once the zucchini is nicely browned, add roughly chopped onions.

Let them caramelize as well—they add a wonderful natural sweetness.

I usually add the garlic later because it burns quickly. You can finely chop it, slice it or even use garlic powder if that's what you have.

If you like rosemary, throw in 1–2 sprigs at this point.

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# Deglaze

By now you'll have lots of browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Don't waste them.

Deglaze with about **150 ml (⅔ cup) vegetable stock, chicken stock or simply water**.

Scrape the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon until everything dissolves into a rich, dark base.

That's pure flavor.

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# Add the Tomatoes

Now gradually add **200–300 g (7–10 oz) of passata**.

I intentionally don't use much because I want the roasted vegetables to stay the star of the dish.

Let the sauce simmer until it thickens. As the water evaporates, you're left with a rich, concentrated tomato sauce.

Season with:

- Salt
- Black pepper

Then stir in plenty of fresh basil.

I also like adding some freshly grated Parmesan directly into the sauce. I'm pretty sure that's not traditional, but it adds a wonderful savory depth and slightly thickens everything.

Finish with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil before serving.

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# A Note About Passata

Try to buy a **plain, unseasoned passata**.

Many brands already contain herbs and spices that can overpower the roasted vegetable flavors.

It's also worth spending a little extra on good-quality tomatoes. Cheaper passatas are often noticeably more acidic.

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# Want an Even Better Tomato Sauce?

If I want to upgrade a basic passata, I do this first:

- Brown onions until deeply caramelized.
- Add garlic.
- Pour in the passata.
- Add fresh basil, rosemary and oregano.
- Let everything simmer for 15–30 minutes.

This creates an incredibly flavorful base sauce before it ever touches the zucchini.

Of course, you could also make everything from fresh tomatoes, but that's really a different recipe.

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# Variations

The same technique works with almost any vegetable.

Some favorites are:

- Eggplant
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Onions

Roast them first—whether in a pan, oven, air fryer or over charcoal—and then finish them exactly the same way.

This recipe is less about specific ingredients and more about one simple idea:

> **Great roasted vegetables make great sauce.**