You should always keep some vegetables in the pantry so you can make a good broth.
Which vegetables?
Carrots, zucchini, potatoes, chard, spinach, tomato, celery and onion. You can use all of them and more. But you can also make a simpler broth with only carrots, zucchini and chard. For the kids use celery, carrot and onion, the classic marriage of vegetables and aromas.
How to make a good vegetable broth
The important thing is to get all the flavor out of the ingredients. So for a good broth you have to put the vegetables in the pot while the water is cold, to let them release all their flavor as it comes to a boil. Putting the vegetables into water that’s already boiling would be the opposite, in that they would all keep their flavor inside.
5 Recycling Recipes
Obviously, the vegetables left over from the broth will no longer be very tasty, but they can be reused to prepare other excellent dishes. Don’t throw them away, because you can do some creative recycling with them. Here are some ideas.
Veggie-balls
Kids will love them and they’re also perfect for weaning babies. Just chop the drained vegetables coarsely and mix them with ricotta cheese, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. When the veggie-balls are formed, roll them in the breadcrumbs and cook them in the oven at 390°F for 20 minutes. To bind them better, you can also add a beaten egg to the mixture. To make them even more delicious, fry them.
Vegetable tart
A delicious idea for a vegetarian appetizer. Chop the drained vegetables and mix them with fresh cream, beaten egg, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. With this mixture, fill a base of shortcrust pastry dough after piercing it with a fork and bake in the oven at 350°F for about 35 minutes. To prepare single- portion tarts, cut out the dough with a circular cutter and use a muffin mold. If you like spices in the filling mix, add two tablespoons of curry powder.
Bruschetta
With the leftover vegetables you can also prepare tasty bruschettas. Rub toasted bread with garlic and then season it with vegetables, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, flaked pecorino cheese and, if you like, chili pepper.
Dumplings with vegetables
This recipe allows you to recycle vegetables and stale bread at the same time. Just soak the bread in lukewarm milk or water and squeeze it out well after it’s turned into a paste. Mix it with the vegetables, an egg and a little Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, pepper and nutmeg. The dumplings are usually cooked in broth. Otherwise they can be boiled, then pan-fried with butter.
Vegetable sformato
A tasty and soft side dish that will please even children. Just pass the vegetables through a potato masher or chop them with a knife. Add a few boiled potatoes to make the mixture more full-bodied. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, Parmigiano Reggiano, a beaten egg and a few cubes of smoked bacon or cooked ham. Fill a buttered oven dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake at 390°F for 25-30 minutes.