Dried tomatoes (Pomodori essiccati, region Puglia)

In Southern Italy some people buy ripe tomatoes at the greengrocer’s or pick them from their own vegetable garden and dry them in the sun. If you can’t do this, just buy a package in a good supermarket or in a shop selling Italian food.

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

white wine vinegar

water

garlic

parsley

chopped chilli

capers

anchovies

glass jars 

Sicilian caponata (Caponata, region Sicily)

Ingredients (4 servings)

4 aubergines (eggplants)

4 ripe and firm tomatoes

100 g of black de-stoned olives

50 g of salted capers

1 onion

1/2 stalk of celery

1 clove of garlic

apple cider vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

salt

Grilled aubergine appetiser (antipasto di melanzane grigliate, region Calabria)

Ingredients (4/6 servings)

4 big aubergines

4 cloves of garlic

1 bunch of fresh basil (as an alternative use deep-frozen one)

2 tbsps of apple vinegar

half a glass of extra virgin olive oil

salt

slices of rustic bread (for ex.: pane toscano or pugliese)

Preparation

Slice the aubergine lengthwise, sprinkle them with salt and let them release the bitter liquid for about two hours.

Meanwhile finely chop the garlic and the basil and mix them to the olive oil, the vinegar and the salt. Mix well together to obtain a sauce.

Wash the aubergine, dry them and cook them on the grill for few minutes. Soak them in the sauce and place them on a plate. Let them rest for al least 10 hours in the fridge and serve with toasted rustic bread.

  

Second option

Tuscan acquacotta soup (acquacotta, region Tuscany)

Ingredients (4 servings)

4 onion of medium size

a half of a green celery stalk

500g of fresh tomatoes or tinned peeled tomatoes

1 or 2 chili

2 litres of vegetal stock

2 eggs

50 g of extra virgin olive oil

100 of grated pecorino cheese

8 slices of dried Tuscan bread or slices of fresh bread toasted in the oven

basil leaves (as an alternative use deep frozen basil)

salt

Ideally use terracotta dishes to serve the soup. Otherwise use ordinary dishes.

Easter Quiche (torta pasqualina, region Liguria)

The torta pasqualina is a typical dish prepared for Easter Monday. Traditionally Easter Monday is a day dedicated to picnics and trips in the countryside and this quiche lends itself well to this aim as it can be cooked in advance and eaten cold.

Its origins date back to the 15^th century, when it was prepared over the Easter period. According to the tradition it should be prepared with 33 layers of thin puff pastry, a number which reminds Jesus Christ's age.