Italian cuisine

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Italian Preserved Eggplant In Oil | Melanzane Sott’olio

Name: Italian Preserved Eggplant In Oil | Melanzane Sott’olio
Prep time: 1 hr
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 1 h 2 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 23 Medium Eggplants; Salt to taste; 4 cup Boiling water; 2 cup White wine vinegar; 56 Large Cloves garlic thinly sliced; 12 Large Chili, cut into small pieces, or red pepper flakes optional; 3 Springs Thyme; 3 Pieces Bay leaf; 23 Springs Fresh oregano or mint (or both); Other herbs and spices as you like; 1 tsp. Black pepper; 3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

Chef Enrico Alaggia

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Italian Preserved Eggplant In Oil | Melanzane Sott’olio

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Prepare homemade Italian preserved eggplant in oil that is a perfect antipasto dish. Deliciously flavored with garlic, chili, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and black pepper tastes fantastic in sandwiches, also fried, or even on pizza. Try out and enjoy its unique flavor!

Recipe

PRE TIME: 1 hr

COOKING TIME: 2 min

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 2 min

1 SERVING

Ingredients:

23 Medium Eggplants
Salt to taste
4 cup Boiling water
2 cup White wine vinegar
56 Large Cloves garlic thinly sliced
12 Large Chili, cut into small pieces, or red pepper flakes optional
3 Springs Thyme
3 Pieces Bay leaf
23 Springs Fresh oregano or mint (or both)
Other herbs and spices as you like
1 tsp. Black pepper
3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Step 1

Peel the eggplants, slice them, and then cut the slices into strips about the size of your little finger.

Step 2

Salt the eggplant strips generously and lay them in a colander inside a bowl. Top with a small plate and weigh the plate down. Leave to rest overnight.

Step 3

The next day a considerable amount of liquid should have drained into the bowl. Discard that. Take a handful of eggplant strips and squeeze them off as much of their remaining liquid as you can, also you could use a cloth to squeeze.

Step 4

Bring the vinegar and water to a boil in a saucepan. Add a handful of eggplant and boil each batch for 2 minutes. Drain and let cool completely.

Step 5

When the eggplant strips are cool enough to handle, squeeze them again of their excess liquid.

Step 6

Place the eggplant strips in a mason jar or other air-tight container, layering them with bits of garlic, chili, and herbs.

Step 7

Press everything down to compact the contents of the jar, then add as much olive oil as you need to cover the eggplant strips completely.

Step 8

Close the jar tightly and let it rest in a cool, dry place for at least a couple of days, preferably a week, before consuming. The longer they stay the more flavourful and better digestible they will be.