Zucchine in Carpione: Marinated Zucchini, Piedmontese Style
In the Middle Ages, people extended the shelf life of fried fish and vegetables by marinating them in vinegar and spices. This method of preservation appears to have appealed to many peoples’ tastebuds. It lives on in a variety of modern-day dishes such as the Spanish escabeche, the Venetian sarde in saor and the southern Italian zucchine alla scapece.
The Piedmontese take on this medieval preparation, zucchine in carpione, is made with fried zucchini, onions, sage leaves and a marinade of vinegar and white wine. Zesty and aromatic, this summery appetizer is best prepared at least a day before serving, so the flavors have time to infuse. Leave it to chill in the fridge for 24 hours and, the next day, you’ll be grateful that you won’t have to sweat over a stovetop on a scorching summer’s day! The hard work will have been done already.
The method for making zucchine in carpione (zucchini marinated in vinegar and wine) detailed below is less a prescriptive recipe and more a perfected technique. If you wish to preserve a bigger batch of these summer squashes, feel free to fry more than the amount indicated. You can also adjust the amounts of the marinating liquids to your taste. Prefer something tangier? Use more vinegar for your marinade. Looking for a sweeter flavor? Then add more white wine. Please note that the wine’s alcohol content can be removed by bringing it to a boil.
Chop onion in half and slice into smiles. Finely slice zucchinis lengthways. Fill a large and deep frying pan with olive oil until about two centimeters high. Put frying pan on low to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and let it simmer until nice and golden. Remove from pan.
Add a handful of zucchinis to pan, taking care not to overcrowd them. Add a pinch of salt and cook until lightly golden. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels. (Repeat this procedure until all the zucchini, onion and sage leaves have been fried).
Place the zucchini, onion and sage in a container. Pour vinegar and white wine over the vegetables until everything is completely covered. Cover the container with a lid and leave to marinate in refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving.
Serve cold, either as an antipasto or as an accompaniment to a meat, chicken or fish dish.
