Salty preserves
Dry tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of tomatoes
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Wine vinegar
- Salt
- Chili pepper
- Basil
- Garlic
- Capers
- Mint
Preparation:
Choose some mature and solid tomatoes (preferably S. Marzano variety). Accurately wash and dry them. Then cut them vertically into two pieces. Arrange them on a grill and sprinkle salt on them. Leave them in the sun from the morning to the evening, but remember to turn them every now and then. In the evening bring them inside to avoid the night dump. When they are completely dry, rinse them with wine vinegar and squeeze them. Then start filling jars with dry tomatoes. BE CAREFUL: as you fill the jars, cover them with oil and flavourings (as you like, but do not exaggerate). The last row of tomatoes must be completely covered with oil (that is the reason why it is advisable to close jars the day after).
It is possible to taste them not before one month from the preparation day.
Artichokes under oil
Ingredients:
- Artichokes
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Salt
- Parsley
- Garlic
Preparation:
Accurately clean the artichokes removing external leaves and stems and only leaving the central part. Cut them into four pieces one by one and boil them. Prepare a (large enough) saucepan containing water, white wine vinegar and a teaspoon of salt and immerse there artichokes. Boil and immerse artichokes for three minutes, then carefully strain them and let them dry on a clean and sterile cloth. Neatly arrange them into a large-mouth pot, putting a bit of parsley, minced peeled garlic and salt between each layers. Remember to increase the oil level in a controlled way: it is important that no air bubbles remain. The last row of artichokes must be completely covered with oil. Close and keep them in a storeroom and eat them at least after a month.
Aubergines under oil
Ingredients:
- Aubergines
- Fresh mint
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh chilli pepper
- Wild oregano
Preparation:
Take a “capase” suited to the aubergines weigh (the “capase” is an enamelled terracotta container which is easy to find in Apulia). Take aubergines (preferably those with few seeds and which are pulpy and round). Peel and cut them into thin layers.Then arrange a layer dressing it little by little with galic, mint, table salt. Once created the first 3-4 layers, start squeezing with fists, letting bitter black water flowing out. Continue in this way until the layers reach the capase’s edge. Finally put above a heavy dish: it is important that it adheres to the edge and does not let air pass through, overturn it on a cylinder of the same measure with at least a weight of 50 kg. Leave everything in this way until the last bitter water drop falls. Overturn it and you will find bone-white aubergines pressed at the most; cut the black part which possibly forms, fill everything with white vinegar till the border and leave everything for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, put the aubergines under press until vinegar in excess completely disappears and, once dressed, take them in bundles and put them into pots of different sizes. Add some chilli pepper pieces and wild oregano between each layers and cover with oil till the edge. Let pots open until the last air bubble goes up. Close them hermetically and you have your winter preserve. You can eat the first aubergines after a month.
Courgettes under oil
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-to-large courgettes
- Extra-virgin oilve oil
- 2 glasses of dry white wine
- 2 glasses of dry white vinegar
- 2 spoons of cooking salt
- 2 spoons of sugar
- 2/3 cloves of garlic (according to your preference)
- 2/3 chilli peppers (according to your preference)
- Powdered oregano
Preparation:
Into a capacious saucepan, pour two glasses of vinegar, sugar, cooking salt, white wine and bring everything to a boil. Cut the thin courgettes and arrange them into the pan with the warm liquid. Leave them to boil for 2 minutes (not more!), take the liquid off and make the courgettes settle one by one on a cloth.It is advisable to do it in the evening so that they become cold and dry up all night long.
Put them up putting a drop of oil on the bottom and start arranging the courgettes rings one over the other, putting 2/3 cloves of garlic, 2/3 chilli peppers and powdered oregano between each layer.
Then cover everything with oil, remembering to verify that no empty spaces or spaces without oil remain. Let them to settle for some hours if it is necessary.
It is necessary that a month passes before you can eat them.