Everybody likes zucchini. Grilled, au gratin, baked or battered. But have you ever prepared them following the ancient Apulian traditional method? Here's the recipe for zucchini alla poverella.
In Puglia, poor means rich. Rich in wisdom, taste, and secrets. It is true, the expression "alla poverella" refers to the poverty of the past, to the extreme simplicity of recipes and preparations. But it’s also synonymous with family and authenticity. Hearing from a grandmother from Puglia about how “zucchini alla poverella" are prepared makes us rich, with knowledge and joy. Beyond frying pans and ingredients, the southern sun is the secret of this dish. The zucchini alla poverella can be kept in glass jars, alternating mint, garlic, oil and vinegar. This way they keep you company for a whole season.
If we go outside of Puglia, we find different names are used to refer to the preservation of food using vinegar. In southern Italy the term "scapece" is widely used, whilst in the north, especially in Veneto, "saor". In France they speak of "aspic" and in Spain they say "escabeche". This last term is reminiscent of the one commonly used in our peninsula.
The traditional recipe of zucchini alla poverella
The recipe for this dish is very simple. Take the zucchini, wash them and cut them into rings. Put them to dry in the sun for two hours on a dish towel, so that they lose the excess liquid and make cooking easier. Pour plenty of oil into a pan and brown a clove of garlic, then add the zucchini slices and fry them on both sides. Place the zucchini on a plate, add salt, mint leaves, and vinegar. The amount of vinegar will depend on personal taste.
Would you like to taste the zucchini right after you prepared them? Here’s a tip from an Apulian lady: use them as a side dish, to season homemade orecchiette, on a typical pizza or as an appetizer together with a good slice of bread and cacioricotta.