Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho by Giorgia Goggi
Giorgia Goggi, chef of Masseria Moroseta, shares the recipe for her much-loved gazpacho
Giorgia Goggi, head chef of Masseria Moroseta in Puglia, Italy, is a true example of a culinary artist whose food is as beautiful as it is delicious. Each plate that she creates is thoughtfully curated, reflecting her elegant aesthetic and highlighting the incredible array of produce in Masseria Moroseta’s sprawling vegetable garden. It is evident that she is deeply committed to respecting ingredients, ensuring that every element of a dish is handled with care and presented in its best light.
Today, Giorgia is sharing her recipe for the roasted vegetable gazpacho featured in her cookbook which was released earlier this week, Moroseta Kitchen. The recipe is followed by a series of Giorgia’s tips to nail your gazpacho and an insightful conversation about her culinary journey, favourite ingredients, and experiences in the kitchen at Masseria Moroseta.
Recipe and words by Giorgia Goggi
I have never liked the definition of a signature dish; whenever I was asked what mine was, I always replied, a little annoyed, that I didn't have one and that the idea of repeating the same thing over and over horrified me. However, I believe that if I asked our returning guests the same thing, they would answer, without a doubt, gazpacho. It has been a recurring item on our tasting menus since the very beginning, served in all possible versions and combinations from the early days of May until the first days of October.
It is a dish I like to serve at the start, a preamble to the tasting menu; it is fresh, light, 100% plant-based and can pack an unexpected level of complexity.
In this case the gazpacho, unlike the Andalusian recipe, is made of vegetables roasted in the oven, to emphasize the round, caramel-like component of the vegetable as opposed to the pungent freshness of the red wine vinegar. More a method than a recipe, once you get into the gazpacho game, the possibilities are endless.
Ingredients:
Serves 6
400 g bell peppers, cleaned and cut into medium-sized pieces
700 g San Marzano tomatoes, cut into quarters
350 g apricots, stone removed and cut in half
250 g carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
5 g ground cumin
10 g saltÂ
50 g + 45 g extra virgin olive oil
50 g finely sliced red onion
50 g red wine vinegar
50 g water
15 basil leaves
100 g raspberries
60 g currants
Sorrel or another aromatic herb of your choiceÂ
Bay leaf oil
Sumac
Instructions:
Preheat the oven on the convection setting to 200°C (400°F).
Combine all the vegetables in a bowl, season with oil, salt and freshly ground pepper and toss well.Â
Place in a baking dish well spread out, they should not be too tightly together otherwise steam is generated and the vegetables instead of caramelising will boil.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, the vegetables should be well cooked, soft and golden brown.
While the vegetables are cooking, place the onion in a small bowl and cover with vinegar and water, leave to marinate for half an hour.
Place the vegetables in a blender with the onion, its marinating liquid, the basil leaves and 45g oil, blend for two minutes at high speed.
The consistency should be quite loose, add water until the desired texture is reached. You may need to adjust the salt and vinegar according to the amount of water you have added.
Place in a container, cover with cling film and allow to cool completely for a few hours.Â
Serve in individual bowls, a generous ladleful per person.Â
Garnish the top with raspberries, currants, a pinch of sumac, the herb of your choice and a few drops of bay leaf oil.
INGREDIENTS - you can vary the proportion of ingredients to suit your taste or even make it mono-vegetable. For example, a gazpacho made only of roasted tomatoes can be a unique experience, combining it with spices and herbs more suited to the main ingredient.
CLEAN YOUR FRIDGE - gazpacho is an ingenious and fairly quick solution for using forgotten vegetables that have seen better days. Once roasted, well-seasoned and emulsified, even the saddest of peppers will regain its charm.
GIFT A GAZPACHO - I find it a delightful idea to bring as a contribution to a dinner with friends, a gazpacho to eat as an entrée. Its liquid consistency makes it perfect to be carried comfortably in recycled glass bottles, the kind used for tomato puree, and it will be even easier to serve it by pouring it directly into bowls.
MAKE IT FANCY - gazpacho and seafood is a match made in heaven. Replace the berries with red prawn tartare or escabeche mussels, you would never go back.
LET IT REST - I personally think this soup tastes even better the next day, the flavours get to know each other and develop surprisingly. You can store it in the fridge for up to three days, covering the surface with cling film in an airtight container.
Allegra: I have read that you switched directions from pursuing a career in fashion and design to food. What made you decide to do this?Â
Giorgia: Food has always been a great passion, ever since I was a child.
I have wonderful memories of beautiful family meals, honest, carefully prepared, vibrant - it brightened our meals every day and fed my imagination. Every day I would immerse myself in the magical smells from our kitchen, watch my mum cook for us, flick through cookbooks spellbound, even before I knew how to read.
So somehow cooking has always been there, but it took me a long time to consider doing it professionally and not just as a very passionate hobby. I worked in fashion and design for a few years, i was looking for a stimulating creative and super dynamic environment. I was having fun and I was also quite good at it, but the stress load was too much and it reset my creative and expressive instincts. I would finish work exhausted and without energy, all I wanted was to go home and bake a cake. So, after countless reflections, I decided to try to return to my initial love, I did my first months in a professional kitchen and it simply worked naturally.
A: I would love to know when you were first exposed to cooking - was there a person (or group of people) that strongly influenced your passion for food? And is there a dish from your childhood that evokes a feeling of nostalgia for you?Â
G: My mum was and still is an excellent home cook. With a classic taste, but also with remarkable creative and experimental twists, especially for family gatherings or festivities. She was a great culinary teacher, without realizing it. She taught me delicacy, generosity but always with great elegance, how to compose a menu and set a table well, the importance of quality produce.
I could say homemade tortellini in brodo, perfection.
A: Working with food can be extremely creative and experimental, but in a restaurant setting in which you have a team of cooks and patrons expecting certain dishes, the routine can also be very limiting. How do you manage to balance these two things and continue to find inspiration in the kitchen?
G: It is quite a challenge, it requires a lot of work, dedication and focus.Â
I should say that I am very lucky, we have a good team between the front of house and the kitchen at Masseria Moroseta. I try to share the creative process, involving colleagues makes everything more fun, engaging and powerful. Ideas develop, change and take a new shape more quickly and surprisingly.
Then in winter, our low season, I try to do as much research as possible with books, travel, restaurants and friends to visit.
A: And finally, is there an ingredient or dish that you are excited about at the moment?
G: I am literally crazy about tomatoes and perfectly ripe peaches.
