Samfaina

Name: Samfaina
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: spanish
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced very small; Salt; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 medium onions, very finely chopped; 4 large garlic cloves, minced; 2 red bell peppers (or one red and one green), peeled, seeded and sliced in thin strips or diced small; 1 medium zucchini, peeled and finely chopped; Black pepper; 1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 14-ounce can, drained

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 4 hours
Rating: 5(71)
Comments: Read comments

This Catalan dish is akin to ratatouille, the French dish that rummages around in the summer garden to combine eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions in a pot that simmers over low heat. The vegetables soften and collapse into one another, and the flavors meld. Samfaina goes further, though: The ingredients are chopped into very small pieces, then cooked for several hours until the mixture is so thick and caramelized that it almost resembles a vegetable marmalade. It’s often used as a sauce for rabbit, chicken or salt cod, but it can also be a side dish unto itself. It is a time investment — lots of chopping to be done before hours of cooking and simmering — but your efforts will yield dinner for the rest of the week. The samfaina will taste better the next day, and it’s delicious hot or cold. Spoon it on a sautéed or grilled piece of fish, grilled sausages, poached eggs or a thick piece of toast.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

1medium eggplant, peeled and diced very small
Salt
¼cup extra virgin olive oil
2medium onions, very finely chopped
4large garlic cloves, minced
2red bell peppers (or one red and one green), peeled, seeded and sliced in thin strips or diced small
1medium zucchini, peeled and finely chopped
Black pepper
1pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 14-ounce can, drained

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Lay eggplant pieces on two layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. After 30 minutes, squeeze out liquid and pat dry.
Step 2
Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in an earthenware casserole over a flame tamer or in a Dutch oven. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 8 minutes.
Step 3
Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining olive oil along with the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini and black pepper. Turn the heat to low, stir, cover and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt, cover again and cook until the mixture has reduced to a thick relish, 2 to 3 more hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings. Before serving, allow to sit for at least 1 hour, or better yet refrigerate overnight.

Ratings

5 out of 5

71 user ratings

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Comments

David5 years ago

I’m Catalan and I have to say I found the end result mushy and the flavors indistinct. For a more flavorful, authentic Samfaina, I suggest the following adjustments: -Don’t peel the eggplant and the zucchini. -Reduce significantly the cooking time. 30 minutes for the eggplant/peppers/zucchini and 1 hour for the tomatoes should be enough. If it’s too soupy, uncover and let reduce. With this adjustments, my family loves this dish.

Julio6 years ago

My family is from Barcelona, so poultry or rabbit with samfaina was a staple meal. I also make it as a sauce for ravioli. Very tasty. I cook the vegetables for less time (maybe 90 min) to maintain consistency

jeanette1 year ago

I second Sienna’s comment! Just had this dish with chickpeas at Xampanyet last week and trying to recreate it today. (Also had it with Bacalao at another restaurant).

Sienna1 year ago

I look forward to adding 1-2 cups of cooked chickpeas to this to emulate a dish available at El Xampanyet in Barcelona

audrey4 years ago

I followed the instructions except for peeling the peppers. I found this to be quite unremarkable and definitely not worth the effort. It was a little better with the addition of chopped capers and crushed Chilli flakes.

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