So much to eat in Italy that I forgot to post some of the vegetables succulent eggplants – served in so many different ways – one great way is APUGLIAN STYLE EGGPLANT: cut into slice about 1 cm thick, salted for 20 minutes if you have bitter ones, rinse under water and then using a griddle plan grill until you have nice scorch marks on them, or else broil the slices in the oven until cooked and soft. Make a vinaigrette of vinegar, chopped fresh mint leaves, extra virgin olive oil and capers that ideally have been cured in vinegar, let them marinate for 30 minutes before serving.
Or Zucchini – courgettes if you like – for sale in Italy with the flowers attached if you can believe it. The flowers can be battered and fried and are out of this world yummy. ITALIAN ZUCCHINI AND TUNA ROLLS Or grill zucchini slices on the griddle pan, fill with tuna (from the tin, in oil, tastes much better than the tuna in water) mixed with mayonnaise (home-made – very simple: 1 organic free range, very fresh, egg yolk, neutral tasting oil such as rapeseed, using an electric mixer beat the egg yolk adding in a thin stream of oil, make sure not to add to much too fast, the mayonnaise will come together as you watch, add some fresh lemon juice, and some mustard, the smooth not the grainy kind) – mix tuna with the mayonnaise until you have a smooth paste, add some capers, spread the zucchini with a little spreadable white cheese, neutral fresh goat cream cheese would be good, neutral tasting, add some of the tuna caper mixture to each slice and roll up. Place into a dish and serve.
Green beans, the way my granny made them: – boil in salted water until all dente, pour over some cold water so that they retain their green colour, in the meantime chop onions and saute in butter, when the beans are cooked add to the butter and onion mixure (without the water obviously) and serve.
Tomatoes – another variety on sale in the South of Italy:
Or the wonderful Cicoria Catalogna – which is amazing, slightly bitter, and eaten a lot in the South of Italy. In Switerland Turkish shops sell it, the big wholesalers don’t carry this type of vegetable. Cicoria catalogna can be served in so many different versions, on top of freshly made pasta, simply as a vegetable with some cooking fluid and bread and cheese, simple delicious poor mans food. The leaves can be eaten cooked and the delicate hearts can be eaten raw dipped in some olive oil and vinegar. Those of you who hang out at Angies Fiesta Friday on the Novice gardener website will know of the joy of sharing recipes and produce, and I haven’t been over there for a while, but today folks I am back and I bring you fresh produce. If you don’t know fiesta friday check it out at Angies. Great way to meet likeminded blogs.
polianthus 
I planted that Catalogna chicory last year. I was expecting spears like asparagus; turned out they were hollow. Not sure I’ll plant again. Anybody wants seeds?
Hi there – strange do you think they had a lot of water at some stage when they were growing, or you picked them too late? The ones I had in italy have a heart of leaves and “meat” that is crunchy like a kohlrabi – and about 4cm in circumference, and nothing was hollow, so not sure what went wrong with yours. Hollow doesnt sound cool at all I agree, weird
Maybe I had a different variety. I had about a dozen growing, and the spears/stalks are all hollow. Also bitter, but that was to be expected from chicory. Maybe I should give it another chance, we’ll see.
Beautiful vegetables!
love them too 🙂 – vegetables beat meat hands down because there is just so much more variety. The cultures that focus on eating veggies mainly and using meat as a seasoning if at all got it right in my book 🙂
Welcome back to FF! I love both of these posts you’ve done on the veggies…such great photos, too!
Hi Nancy – thanks for the welcome back – its been busy but I have missed checking in – so had to post something for Angie and the guests 🙂 – glad you liked the veggie posts – eating veggies in the south where there is lots of sun and they are harvested close to where they are eaten is a revelation.
Your eggplants look so nice dark and shiny a great pic! The flowers you mention deep frying I had heard if that before. Your tomatoes look yummy x
Everything sounds so lovely!! I’m thinking I would really love the zucchini with the tuna..it sounds so delicious!! What a great variety of vegetables to bring to the table on Fiesta Friday… thank you so much! I so loved this post… I’ve never heard of Cicoria Catalogna, will have to ask my aunt about it. I’m sure she’ll know what it’s all about!
Ok, question.. the zucchini flowers. I have never tried them, and I someday when I get the chance I will. I’ve asked others about this, but no one really ever had an answer… how do you eat them? Do you pick them up with your fingers and eat them? Or is it proper to eat them with a fork and knife? Haha..I have no idea..but if I try them, I want to make sure I do it right!! 🙂
Awesome post. ❤
Catalogna chicory salad is my preferred one! great post!
Hi La petite casserole – always great to have you stop by – catalogna chicory salad – can you get that where you are or do you plant yourself?
Unfortunately I have just a balcony, so I can’t t plat it. I find the chicory one in while at the maker, is really expense but I canon renounce to buy it!
hello there – yes I can imagine it would be expensive – no farmers markets or ethnic shops, or small italian delis ? 🙂 where you are….its a taste of home I would guess.
Look at all the veggies! What a feast!
Dear Patty – feast for friday and I am sure you could throw some chia seeds on them and they’d be lovely with the veggies 🙂 just teasing you!
Hahah! I love it!!! 😛
I’ve never heard of that type of chicory, need to read up on Italian vegetables. Or go to Sicily. They sound like something I’d like eating. Good to see you at Fiesta Friday.
Hi Saucy gander – I had never heard of it either, but actually it is really lovely – although if someone hadn’t bought it and served it me I dont think I would ever have tried it 🙂
That’s the beauty of traveling, a chance to try new things! 🙂
absolutely agree and if you eat in peoples homes you get to experience the real deal!
Those are some interesting recipes and such colorful pictures and so so fresh!
hello there, thanks so much for stopping by and commenting 🙂
OK. I’m hungry…..
thats the effect it’s supposed to have 🙂