August 1, 2024

Pisto Manchego

Ubiquitous throughout Spain, pisto is a stewy dish similar to French ratatouille or Middle Eastern shakshuka. The essential ingredients are tomatoes, onions, and peppers, however the manchego (meaning from La Mancha) version – arguably the most popular – features zucchini and a fried egg. Delicious the day it’s made, it’s also equally good as leftovers, so make a big batch and feel free to adapt the recipe to whatever is in season (or in the pantry).

DRINK WITH: Vinalia x Bodegas Vermum Cencibel Roble '20

INGREDIENTS

Good olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
2 zucchinis (or yellow squash), diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
6 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 tbsp smoked paprika (optional)

1 tbsp cumin (optional)
1 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus more as needed
Water
4 eggs
Fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Bread (for serving)

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, both bell peppers, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes, stirring often and lowering the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

STEP 2

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until fragrant. Stir in the zucchini, a splash more of olive oil, and salt to taste (~ ½ teaspoon). Toss together for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini is beginning to soften.

STEP 3

Add the tomatoes to the pan, along with the spices (if desired). Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the tomatoes until they have released all their water. Add the sherry vinegar, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir often, lowering the heat and adding water as needed (every 10 minutes or so as the mixture sticks to the pan). Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary, adding an additional splash of vinegar as desired. Set aside.

STEP 4

In a separate medium skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs and fry each to preferred doneness.

STEP 5

Serve the pisto in individual bowls, along with the fried egg on top and bread for dipping.

Note

While not totally traditional, we love to top our pisto with Manchego cheese. To serve, take a peeler and shave large shards on top of your finished dish, along with a healthy drizzle of good Spanish olive oil.

SERVE WITH...

Vintage: 2020

Grape Variety: Cencibel (sen-see-bell; aka Tempranillo)

Region: Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Drink If You Like: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Syrah, Chianti

Alcohol: 13.5%

Tasting of red cherries and macerated strawberries, this Cencibel also shows a classic Spanish savoriness—sagebrush, dry earth, olive pit. The aging in tinajas contributes a stony minerality and freshness to this youthful expression of Spain’s most famous grape.