Last Saturday I went to my local farmer’s market for the first time in months. I was so amazed by the variety and the colors of all the summer products available!
When I later came home, I inspected my market haul and I knew immediately that it was time to make a Greek Summer Roasted Vegetables (Briami) or “μπριάμι” in Greek – one of my favorite seasonal recipes and one that I am surprised I had not yet shared with you on this blog!
What is Briami
Some people think of it as the Greek version of ratatouille, others (i.e., my husband) like to tease me by calling it a baked version of Italian caponata. There are certainly similarities in these recipes as they all utilize great amounts of summer vegetables that are in abundance.
This recipe belongs to the category of vegetable-centered Greek dishes called “lathera” (λαδερά). The word “lathera” comes from “lathi” (λάδι), the Greek word for oil — olive oil, of course! These dishes are braised with generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil and they are staples in the Greek kitchen and a big part of the Mediterranean diet.
This easy dish is especially welcomed in the summer when they can be baked early in the day before the kitchen heats up and enjoyed later with a large slab of tangy Greek Feta cheese, a loaf of crusty bread, and an ice-cold beer.
How to make the Greek Summer Roasted Vegetables (Briami)
- Sauté lightly the eggplants and place them in a baking pan. In the same skillet used to sauté the eggplant, add the onions and peppers and garlic and sauté until softened. Add them to the baking pan.
- Slice the potatoes and the zucchini. Add them to the baking pan with the sautéed vegetables.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, more olive oil, the herbs and some water. Toss gently to combine.
Tip: By slightly sautéing the hardy vegetables first, we give this dish a head start, and everything cooks evenly in the oven.
Variations of this dish
This is really what I call a “no-recipe” recipe, because each time I make it, I use whatever vegetables I have on hand. The simplest version of this dish is with potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, and of course the fresh herbs. Use what you have on hand and what is in season!
This delicious dish, as all the “lathera” dishes do as well, is typically enjoyed as a main course rather than a side dish. Examples of these dishes are the Greek Style Peas and Potatoes and the Greek Stuffed Tomatoes
Any variation of this dish is always served with feta cheese on the side and some good hardy bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
- 1 large (or 2 medium) onion
- 1 large (or 4-5 small) red pepper
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 small Italian eggplants
- 2-3 small zucchini
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 cup plum or cherry tomatoes, chopped
- ¾-1 cup tomato passata (or tomato sauce)
- 1 TBSP. dried Greek oregano
- 1 tsp. dried mint
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh dill (optional)
- ¾-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- --- sea salt
- --- freshly ground black pepper
- ¾-1 cup of water
- Prepare all your vegetables by slicing the eggplants, potatoes, and zucchini into ½” slices. Next, chop the onions and the garlic, cut the peppers into 1” chunks, and mince the fresh herbs.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Drizzle some of the olive oil into a large frying pan, set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the eggplants for 5-6 minutes until they become soft and golden brown (you might need to add a bit more olive oil during the frying, as the eggplants absorb a good amount of olive oil as they cook). Transfer the eggplant to a large, ovenproof dish.
- To the same frying pan add some more olive oil, and, once the oil is heated, add the chopped onion and peppers. Cook for two minutes and add the garlic. Cook a few minutes more, then transfer to the baking dish.
- Add the potatoes and the zucchini to the baking dish—uncooked--and toss. Cut the tomatoes into chunks (or in half, if you are using cherry tomatoes), and add them to the dish along with the tomato passata, the dried and fresh herbs, and the remaining olive oil. Season everything generously with salt and pepper to taste and combine gently.
- Pour ¾ cup of the water into the corner of the baking dish then tilt it so the water distributes evenly.
- Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or, until the vegetables are soft and golden brown. Make sure to check the liquid in the dish (about half way through) and add the rest of the water if necessary. At the end of the cooking time, there should be just a little sauce at the bottom of the baking dish.
- Let the briam rest for 10 minutes or so to cool down slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with some Greek Feta on the side and some delicious bread to mop up the sauce!
Leftovers of this dish (If there are any) are amazing tossed with some pasta the next day, or as side dish to a simple grilled protein.
When you are not sure what to cook, a stroll through the farmer’s market is always an inspiration in planning the meals for the week ahead. When you have really good ingredients, all you need to do is use a recipe as a guide and come up with your own delicious version of it!
I am going to try layering. This looks great!
Thank you Kathy! Don’t worry too much about layering….. Just toss gently everything together!
It will be delicious no matter what!
My aunt brought me lots of vegetables from her garden and I will try this tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it comes out?
Yes, Katerina, do let me know how you like it! This is such a favorite summer dish!
It turned out delicious! I also made some crusty bread to go with it and crumbled feta on top! Thank you for this recipe?
Turned out delicious! I topped it with some crumbled feta and baked a loaf of whole grain bread. Thank you for the recipe ?
That’s wonderful! I am so glad you tried this recipe and you liked it, Katerina!
I love this recipe so much, I made my own on my YouTube Channel. Please let me know what you think?
p.s Link to my video: https://youtu.be/wb2rmuCJAJo
SOOO good. I just made it – and we ate the whole pan.
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Such a favorite summer recipe! So glad you liked it so much!