Mediterranean Feta and Vegetable Casserole
It was a cold, grey evening when my aunt Ursula invited us to dinner a few years ago. We meet quite often to enjoy good food and wine together but that day we felt tired from work and weren't in the mood for a heavy meal. When we arrived at her apartment we saw that she hadn't set up the table in the dining room as she normally does but created a comfy dining scene in her living room. The low table was packed with loaves of bread with herbs and dried tomatoes, a few dips and a bottle of red wine was just waiting for us. Our mood was lifted straight away, this was exactly what we needed, a relaxed evening on the sofa! When Ursula came out of the kitchen with a steaming dish in her hands, filling the air with the smell of roast vegetables and herbs she had our attention and we felt awake again!
The meal she served became one of my most beloved dishes, Mediterranean vegetables on top of a thick slice of feta roasted in the oven for only half an hour. By the end of it you have a plate full of juicy, partly crunchy vegetables that you can spoon onto a thick slice of bread together with the aromatic cheese and herbs, it's delicious! The mix of zucchini, red and yellow bell pepper, aubergine, red onions, garlic and lots of thyme and rosemary became my favourite, personal variation on this recipe. Just throw together a composition that suits your taste and put this on a slice of a French country bread, ciabatta or focaccia and I'm sure you'll be as happy as I am whenever I cook this meal!
I love to make this when friends come over, I just put one or two big casseroles on our long table, a few loaves of bread, some wine - this is the perfect food and atmosphere to let the laughing and chatting begin! Or to celebrate that Germany won the World Cup!
Mediterranean Vegetable and Feta Casserole
For 4 people you need
feta cheese, 2 slices, around 2cm / 3/4" thick, 400g / 14 ounces
medium aubergine, cut into 1cm / 1/2" cubes, 1
medium zucchini, cut in half and sliced, 1
yellow bell pepper, cut into cubes, 1
red bell pepper, cut into cubes, 1
medium tomatoes, cut into cubes, 3
medium red onions, cut into 8 pieces, 2
garlic, 8 cloves in their skin
olive oil 60ml / 2 ounces
thyme, a small bunch
rosemary, 6 sprigs
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 200°C / 390°F (I use the Rotitherm roasting setting).
Put the feta cheese next to each other in a baking dish, cover with the vegetables, garlic and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil on top and mix until everything is coated in oil (add a little bit more if it's not enough). Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft, they shouldn't burn. Check the aubergine first as it needs the longest to cook. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with rustic white bread.
