The Mediterranean Vegan

This is a very typical and easy Catalan dish. Escalivar in Catalan means to "cook in hot ashes" and refers to its traditional method of preparation, where it is grilled on an open fire. While this method is still in use, many people now make it in the oven. You can find escalivada in pretty much every bar and restaurant in Catalonia. It is usually served as a tapa on top of bread. What you need: Eggplants/Aubergines Red bell peppers Sweet onions Tomatoes Olive Oil Salt Preheat the oven to 500 F (260 C). Brush the whole vegetables with olive oil and set them on an oven tray. Place in oven for 35-40 minutes, turning twice while baking. The vegetables should be charred when you take them out. Let them cool and remove the skin and seeds of all the vegetables. Slice into strips, drizzle with a lot of olive oil and salt and serve.

Trinxat, meaning "chopped and shredded" in Catalan, is a potato pancake fried in olive oil. This dish comes from the Pyrenees, where Catalans prepared it for cold winters. Serves 3-4 What you need: 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp olive oil 1.5 tsp salt In a large pot, boil the chopped potatoes and cabbage for 30 minutes. In a small pan, fry the minced garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil until lightly browned. Strain the potatoes and cabbage in a colander and place them in a large bowl. Mash the potatoes and cabbage with the garlic until smooth. Form the mashed potatoes into patties and fry in a non-stick pan in olive oil until browned on both sides.

This vegan casserole dish comes from the island of Mallorca, Spain. It is served in almost every restaurant, so if you are ever in the area you have a vegan staple available to you. The recipe calls for a lot of frying, so get make sure you have a lot of oil available before you begin to chop. Serves 4-6 What you need: 1 large eggplant(aubergine), sliced 1/2 inch thick widthwise 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 2-4 large chunks 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 2-4 large chunks 2 medium size potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick widthwise 1 medium size zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick lengthwise and then halved 1.5 cup tomato sauce (you can try this simple tomato sauce ) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp parsley 5 cups olive oil for frying Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Fill a large pan with the five cups of olive oil and bring to high heat on a stove. Chop and slice all of your vegetables before frying. To decrease bitterness of the eggplant, salt lightly after slicing and strain in a colander for 30 minu...

Panellets are a Catalan sweet meaning "little bread." They start popping up in bakeries for All Saint's Day and continue to be eaten throughout the winter in Catalonia. Here is a vegan version for those of us who are tired of looking at them through the bakery window. Makes 15 panellets What you need: 1 sweet potato 1 cup sugar 1 cup ground almonds 1/2 lemon zest variations: candied (glacé) cherries espresso powder pine nuts coconut flakes Boil the sweet potato until very soft and drain in a colander. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potato until a creamy paste forms. Mix in the crushed almonds, sugar, and lemon zest until well incorporated. This is your base dough for the different variations of panellets. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees celsius (500 fahrenheit) and roll out foil onto a cookie sheet (or coat lightly with oil). For the cherry version: Roll dough into small balls and press onto cookie sheet. Press the middle of the balls lightly with your thumb to create sp...

This typical Catalan cookie was invented by an Italian pastry chef in Barcelona who gave it the name "petto di monca" (nun's breasts) , in reference to the cookie's shape. The name has since changed to pets de monja, in Catalan meaning nun's farts. Despite its name, these nut cookies are a common snack enjoyed throughout Catalonia. Makes 8-10 small cookies What you need: 1/2 cup margarine 3 tbsp sugar 1 cup flour 1/2 cup finely ground nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds) Preheat your oven to 175 ° C (350 ° F) In a bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup margarine and 3 tbsp sugar until creamy. Slowly add the flour and nut mixture until a dough forms. Form the dough into small balls with a point at the top (your choice, the tradition is in it's shape) and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar after baking for extra sweetness.

This bittersweet spinach dish comes from Catalonia, the northeastern region of Spain. Serves 1-2 What you need: 300g Spinach (1 package) 1 head of garlic, diced 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup pine nuts 1 tbsp olive oil In a large pot, fill with water and bring to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, sauté garlic, 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of pine nuts in 1tbsp of olive oil until the raisins have puffed up a bit and the pine nuts are browned. When the water starts to boil, add the fresh spinach to the water until slightly wilted. Drain the spinach in a colander and run cold water over it. Press the spinach to drain all the water out and add to the pan with raisins,garlic, and pine nuts. Sauté until the spinach is hot and serve.

Pa amb tomàquet is one of the most simple foods in Catalan cuisine (and in my opinion, one of the best!) What you need: Bakery Bread, sliced Ripe Tomatoes Olive Oil Garlic (optional) Salt Preparation : There are a few variations when making pa tomàquet . Some people make this dish by toasting the bread. The other option is whether or not to use garlic. Usually it comes down to how much effort one wants to put into making this easy appetizer. I recommend both! To make this traditional Catalan dish, toast the bread to your liking. Cut the clove of garlic in half and rub it's midsection onto the bread. Then, cut the tomato in half and rub it onto the bread until it is coated red. Last, drip some olive oil and sprinkle a bit of salt onto the bread and serve! While many people add sausage or meats to their pa tomàquet , roasted red pepper and roasted eggplant/aubergine (called escalivada ) are also a common addition to this oh so simple tapa .