Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Zucchini in Carpione (Zucchini Marinated in Vinegar and Wine )

This week Brian Yarvin, author of Cucina Piemontese, explores the wonderful cooking from the Piemonte region, located in the northeast corner of Italy, on Hippocrene Cooks.

Summer in my native Piedmont can be hot, even in the mountains where my family and I spent July and August every year. One dish that never failed to appear at the dinner table in the summer was "zucchini in carpione", a refreshing vegetable dish and an excellent alternative to salad and tomatoes to fight the heat. When the body and mind crave coolness, this cold dish of zucchini marinated in vinegar, sage, onion, and garlic will be most pleasing.

4 servings

½ cup olive oil
1 Pound zucchini, sliced thin lengthwise
1 large white onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 cup white wine vinegar

½ cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole allspice
4 bunches sage leaves

3 bay leaves

Begin by browning the zucchini slices in the oil using a frying pan over medium heat. Drain the slices and blot them with paper towels. Set them aside and reserve the oil. When you’ve finished, sauté the onions in the same oil. When they become transparent, add the vinegar and spices and cook together for 4 minutes on high heat.

Lay the browned zucchini slices flat in a glass baking dish, with the onions in an even layer on top of the zucchini, add the cooked vinegar/wine/onion/spice mixture and refrigerate for at least 5 to 6 hours.

Pictures courtesy of Brian Yarvin and Wikimedia Commons.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great appetizer! I love zuccini! What a great way to use it. Thanks for the recipe!

Anonymous said...

I love Piedmontese cuisine, especially bagna cauda (or caôda): an intense dipping sauce made with olive oil, garlic, anchovies and milk. Great in the wintertime. There is a lot to discover in Italy's northern cuisines that most Americans, familiar with southern Italian dishes, don't know about. Thank you for this book!

Wildthyme said...

I grew up on Northern Italian foods and my mother made a marinated zucchini dish often in the summer. She has been gone many years and my father was asking about it today. I couldn't quite remember the recipe but I am sure this is it. I am going to make it for him this weekend. He will be so pleased!!

Hippocrene Books said...

Wildthyme- food and memories so often go hand in hand. We're so glad you found the recipe and hope you find other favorites in Cucina Piemontese!