Ingredients

6 Eggplants
Salt
White Vinegar
Garlic
Olive oil
Oregano

Directions

1. Peel the eggplant skin.
2. Slice the eggplant into thin strips by cutting in slabs then cutting into strips
3. Put into a large bowl and add salt.  Mix well
4. Squeeze with your hands until the eggplant gets soft
5. Place the contents into a ceramic bowl or something similar.  Put a plate over and then add some weight to put pressure on the contents.
6. Wait 24 hours…remove weight
7. Squeeze eggplant and dispose of all excess liquid
8. Clean your ceramic bowl, add the squeezed eggplant and cover with white vinegar. Place the cover or plate and apply weight onto the product again for an additional 24 hours.
9. After the second 24 hours has passed, squeeze and dispose of liquid
10. Add olive oil, oregano and garlic….Mix Well.  Mamma uses about 3 cloves of grated garlic per jar.
11. Pack the eggplant into glass jars, cover with olive oil and seal.

They will be ready to eat in a few days and should be consumed within 6 months.

This is a specialty recipe from our Aunt Rosetta

1. Cut Zucchini into small pieces. Mix with pickling salt in large bowl. Place a weight on top and let sit for one day or more.
2. Bring 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar to boil in large pot. Place zucchini in and boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain well and turn onto a cloth to cool.
3. Steam cauliflower and beans for 4-5 minutes in water. Transfer to vinegar / water for 1-2 minutes. Cool and mix with zucchini.
4. Allow to cool. Mix with olive oil, garlic and oregano. Press contents into jars. Pour any remaining juice on top. Top with oil.
5. Place seals in boiling water to heat. Close jars and boil for 5 minutes. Store.

Enjoy and Mangia !!

Makes 5 jars

Ingredients:

20 pounds of green beans
3 cups of water
1 cup of white vinegar
5 tbsp table salt

Olive oil, oregano, garlic

Directions:

• Boil beans until semi soft, drain water and let sit until they are cool to the touch.
• Pack cooked beans into jars.
• Add 1 Tbsp. of table salt into each jar.
• Pour boiling water and vinegar solution into jars.
• Seal jars and steam for 4 minutes.

When ready to serve:

Remove green beans from jar, rinse with cold water and place into serving dish. Add 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 clove grated garlic and drizzle with oil. Mangiare!

Another specialty which is easy to make and worth the effort is roasted peppers Mamma style.

Ingredients:

3 peppers (1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow or whatever you have)
4-5 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp salt
olive oil

Directions:

• roast peppers on baking sheet in oven at 350 deg F for approximately 25 minutes
• after they have cooled peel and slice peppers and place in bowl
• add garlic
• add oregano, salt
• add olive oil prior to serving

Stir and they are ready to eat or freeze.

Ingredients:

12 cups of water
1 cup of coarse salt
Large Green Olives purchased by the box (seasonal)

Directions:

• Crush firm green olives, removing the pit.

• Soak crushed olives in water for 4 days, remember to change water every day.
• Place olives into canning jars.
• Boil salt and water mixture, pour hot solution into the jars.
• Seal jars and store.

Preparation: Pour contents of sealed jar into a bowl and soak the olives in fresh water for at least one day (over night is better, squeezing olives occasionally and refreshing the water). Squeeze as much excess water out of olives  as you can and place into serving bowl, let air dry, add fresh garlic, oregano, salt, anise seed and olive oil to taste.

Stir frequently and after they have been dressed allow them to sit for a few hours before serving. If you are a true olive lover this Italian recipe will become a keeper.

Looking for a way to get your family to eat more vegetables?

Ingredients:

4 cups  (1000 ml)
1 cup (250 ml)
4
1 tbsp
1 tsp
1
1/4 cup
1 cup
1 cup

grated zucchini
zucchini flowers
eggs
parsley
salt
garlic clove
parmesan cheese
flour
vegetable oil

Directions:

Add 4 cups of grated zucchini into a large bowl, Mix in 1 cup of picked zucchini flowers, add 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon of parsley, squished or crushed garlic clove, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt, little less than 1 cup of bread flour.

Heat up frying pan with 1 cup of oil in pan and using a serving spoon, flip lots until brown on both sides.

Let cool…mangiare, salute, appetito buono!