Layered Veggie & Mozz
Labor Day Weekend is far in the rearview mirror and there’s a slight crisp in the air. It’s time to break out the the layers to keep warm. This dish extends layers onto the plate with this airy and satisfying dish, where veggies are crisped and stacked along with the fresh locally stretched Mozzarella to keep you warm all season long.
Inspiration for this dish stemmed from a visit to the Highlands NJ farmers market, where there was an abundance of sweet potatoes, poblano peppers, onions and a lovely couple mixing and stretching mozzarella and selling baked goods. My pup Mozzarella got a taste and I’d never seen him so enamored by a treat at a farmers market before (hence the name). Time for kickoff!
Lineup: Ingredients (Serves 2)
One large Sweet potato
One zucchini
Half a large white or yellow onion
3 large carrots
Fresh Mozzarella
Sauce mixture outlined here or other sauce of your choosing
Salt/pepper/Seasoning as desired
White wine (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Pregame: Prep the Veggies
Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and cut into thin long pieces
Mimic the cut of the Zucchini the as closely as possible (no need to remove skin) as the sweet potato
Cut the onion into large wedges
Peel and chop the carrots long ways
Cook Em
Lightly fry the peeled sweet potatoes in olive oil until they become slightly brown and soft
Turn down the heat low-med and add chopped zucchini layers, onion wedges and carrots
Let cook down until onions are translucent. Be sure to turn down the heat if the zucchini starts to burn
Deglaze the pan with white wine, enough that it fully coats the button of the pan/veggies
Let veggies cook until wine evaporate
The Goal Line Pile Up
Spoon and spread sauce on the plate prior to veggie stack
On top of the sauce add 2 to 4 sweet potatoes next to each other
Begin stacking the onions, mozz and zucchini layer by layer until all the veggies are used
Place carrots throughout the dish to add dimension,color, texture and flavor
Celebrate Your Win
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs and enjoy…Buon Appetito!