Читать книгу Made in Italy: Food and Stories - Giorgio Locatelli - Страница 46

The best aubergines for preserving are the pale purple, melon-shaped ones, as they are firmer and a little sweeter. Cut them into slices about 2cm thick, place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave for at least half an hour, preferably overnight. Drain them, brush with olive oil and grill or cook in a ridged griddle pan until they mark (a couple of minutes on each side). Don’t overcook them or they will become too soft and disintegrate after being in the oil for a while. Remove them, lay them out on a tray and sprinkle with whole peppercorns, blanched peeled whole cloves of garlic, sprigs of rosemary and, if you like, some large chillies, deseeded and split lengthways (or with the seeds, if you prefer them spicier). Layer in sterilised jars, then cover completely with light extra-virgin olive oil and seal. Keep in a cool place for up to 3 months.

There is another typical sottoaceti with aubergine, which is originally from Napoli, and is often served with antipasti in bars in Italy – my wife Plaxy calls the little strips ‘worms’. What makes them very special is that the aubergine pieces, which are blanched in vinegar, retain a slight crunch, and if you eat them with a salami that is very generous with the fat, they really help to cut through the richness.

To make a jarful, take 2 aubergines, peel them, and, using a mandoline grater, cut into thin slices and then into strips. Sprinkle with salt, leave to drain for an hour, then squeeze gently. Rinse under cold running water, then squeeze again. Get a pan with a measured amount of water boiling and for every litre of water add 100ml red wine vinegar. Bring to the boil again, then add the aubergines and keep boiling for about 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness. They should still be quite firm. Lift out with a slotted spoon on to a clean tea towel. Move them around until completely cold and dried, then put into a sterilised jar along with some big chillies that have been deseeded and split lengthways. Cover with light extra-virgin olive oil and seal.

Serve with bread and salami, or maybe some anchovies (if you like, you can scatter the aubergine with chopped garlic and parsley).