Zucchine alla scapece
Marinated fried courgettes
Zucchine alla scapece: Naples's fried courgettes marinated in vinegar, garlic and mint
Scapece is an old way of preserving fried food with vinegar, brought to Naples from Spain (escabeche). In Neapolitan homes, courgette slices are fried until golden, then layered with garlic, fresh mint and a splash of wine vinegar and left for a few hours. The dish is a summer classic, served at room temperature as part of a Sunday antipasto spread or alongside grilled meat, and it gets better the next day. Chef's tip: dry the courgette slices in the sun or on a rack for an hour before frying, as Neapolitan grandmothers do; dry slices fry crisp and golden instead of steaming.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb courgettessliced into 5 mm rounds
- 1 cup olive or sunflower oilfor frying
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlicthinly sliced
- 15 mint leaves
- 3 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Spread 1 ⅓ lb courgettes on a rack or clean tea towel for 1 hour to dry a little.
60 minStep 2: Heat 1 cup olive or sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the slices in batches for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown at the edges. Drain on kitchen paper. Common mistake: frying them pale; the vinegar needs browned courgette to taste right.
15 minStep 3: Layer the courgettes in a dish, scattering each layer with ½ tsp salt, 2 cloves garlic and torn 15 mint leaves.
Step 4: Sprinkle over 3 tbsp white or red wine vinegar and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Cover and leave for at least 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zucchine alla scapece take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of courgettes?
- Cucumber, same weight (raw dishes only).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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