The zucchini in carpione is a simple and delicious appetizer or side dish typical of Piedmontese cuisine and widespread throughout Northern Italy, especially in regions like Veneto and Lombardy. They are prepared by deep-frying the zucchini and then marinating them in a fragrant sauce based on white wine, vinegar, onions, and herbs: the carpione. This recipe has its roots in rural tradition and arose from the need to preserve vegetables – and not just vegetables, as carpione was also often used for fish – in an era when refrigerators did not exist. A common necessity in many areas of Italy, as evidenced by similar preparations typical of other regional cuisines: think of the zucchini or eggplant alla scapece of the Neapolitan tradition, the zucchini concia from Rome or the famous Sicilian caponata. Zucchini in carpione, with their strong and appetizing flavor, are perfect to serve on croutons, alongside a cheese board, or as a cold side dish on warmer days. A simple yet surprising dish, capable of telling a story of tradition, flavor, and peasant ingenuity with just a few ingredients that never go out of style.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Piedmont
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 176.36 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.14 (g) of which sugars 0.63 (g)
- Proteins 5.52 (g)
- Fat 14.00 (g) of which saturated 2.19 (g)of which unsaturated 4.32 (g)
- Fibers 2.52 (g)
- Sodium 104.62 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 132 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Fried Zucchini in Carpione
- 28 oz zucchini
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 7/16 cup dry white wine
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 leaves sage
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- as needed peanut oil
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed black pepper
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot large
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Frying Pan non-stick
- 1 Baking Dish
- Paper Towels
- Plastic Wrap
How to Prepare Fried Zucchini in Carpione
To prepare the zucchini in carpione, start by washing and drying the zucchini. Trim them, and if they are very long, cut them in half. Then cut them into sticks not too thin (1). Pat them well with paper towels to dry the water from the vegetables (2). In a large pot, heat plenty of peanut oil (if you have a kitchen thermometer the ideal temperature is 340°F) and immerse the zucchini a few at a time (3).
Fry them for 2-3 minutes until golden, then drain them with a slotted spoon (4) and let them dry well on a paper towel (5). Salt them while still hot. While they cool, prepare the carpione: thinly slice the onion (6).
In a non-stick pan, pour 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the halved garlic clove and onion, then sauté everything over low heat, being careful not to burn the onion (7). Add the broken sage and bay leaves (8). When the onion is tender, raise the heat and pour in the white wine (9).
Let it evaporate for a few seconds, then, still on high heat, add the vinegar (10). Lower the heat and let it cook for 5-6 minutes over gentle heat (11), until the sauce has slightly reduced. Then turn off the heat (12). Remove the garlic clove.
Take a baking dish and place a layer of zucchini on the bottom (13). Dress them with some tablespoons of sauce (14) and cover with another layer of zucchini, always dressing them with a bit of sauce. Continue this way until the zucchini are finished, pouring the remaining sauce at the end (15).
Cover the baking dish with a sheet of plastic wrap and let the zucchini in carpione marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, so they absorb the flavors. Half an hour before serving, take them out of the refrigerator to bring them to room temperature and mix them well.
Storage
Zucchini in carpione can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 or 6 days.
Tips and Variations
The original recipe for zucchini in carpione calls for frying the zucchini. However, nothing prevents you from using the same sauce to dress zucchini prepared in other ways: for example, air fryer zucchini or raw zucchini carpaccio.
