Canazzo, or canazzu, is a Sicilian side dish made with vegetables, primarily prepared in the Palermo area. An easy dish to prepare using seasonal vegetables. The most common version is made with potatoes, peppers, eggplants, and other seasonal vegetables, but there are several variants to adapt to the period. In most cases, when it comes to regional recipes, each area and family has its own recipe and its variants. For example, in winter, you can use pumpkin, and some add a bit of sugar and vinegar at the end of cooking, thus obtaining the sweet and sour version. You can also put all the vegetables in a baking dish and cook them in the oven, and some fry everything, getting very close to the famous Sicilian caponata, which also has many variants like the Catania-style Caponata.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Canazzo
- 1 eggplant
- 2 potatoes
- 1 pepper
- 1 zucchini
- 2 onions (small or 1 large)
- 10.5 oz tomatoes (I use Piccadilly)
- to taste basil
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Recommended Tools
- Skillet
- Cutting Board
Preparation CANAZZO or canazzu
Wash the eggplants, cut them into cubes, and soak them in water and salt for at least 30 minutes to eliminate any bitter taste.
After the necessary time, rinse the eggplant cubes and squeeze them with your hands to dry them a little, then pat them with paper towels or a cloth.
Peel the potatoes, rinse them, and cut them into cubes; soak them in cold water for at least 15 minutes, then drain, rinse under running water, and dry.
Clean the peppers and cut them into pieces.
Wash the zucchini and cut it into cubes.
Peel the onions and slice them or coarsely chop them.
In a skillet (preferably non-stick), pour a generous drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes.
Add the potatoes and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the prepared vegetables (eggplants, peppers, and zucchini), stir, cover, and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, cut them into pieces and, after 10 minutes, add them to the skillet. Salt, add basil, stir, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked.
Usually, no water needs to be added; the vegetable’s own juices are sufficient; however, if needed, you can add a few ladles of water, but don’t overdo it.
At the end of cooking, you can add a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and more fresh basil.
You can serve canazzo, or canazzu, hot or cold. I prefer it lukewarm or at room temperature.
Notes
If you liked this recipe, you might also be interested in other Sicilian side dishes like the Catania-style Sicilian Caponata (with potatoes) or the Baked Onions or the Marinated raw zucchini.
FAQ
Can I prepare canazzo the day before?
Certainly, in fact, in my opinion, it’s even better the next day.
How many days can I keep it in the refrigerator?
Closed in a container, preferably glass, it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
