Zucchine alla Scapece, Neapolitan Fried Zucchini

Zucchine alla Scapece – good fried zucchini with a mint, garlic and vinegar dressing. This traditional Italian side dish is good served with grilled meats, fish or served on crostini.

Zucchine alla Scapece is a traditional Neapolitan side dish that's simple to make and tastes good.

's family make a similar dish that was passed down from his great uncle, who was from Ravello on the Amalfi Coast.

In his family's version, the zucchini are cut into thin strips, then are dredged in flour before frying. They are then layered in a dish with mint, slices of raw garlic, vinegar and olive oil. It's weighed down with something heavy and left to set, then it's cut into slices.

This Neapolitan version is prepared a little differently but has all the same fresh and good flavours we love. It comes together with much less hands-on preparation, so it's suited to an easy summer side dish or antipasto.

Ingredient notes

• Zucchini – We used 2 medium-sized, ripe zucchini.
• Mint – although you could use fresh basil instead, mint gives this dish its classic flavour, and it's good.
• White wine vinegar – you can also use red wine vinegar if you have it.
• Garlic – use 2 small or 1 large.
• Oil for frying – our go-to is sunflower oil, but use whatever oil you prefer for frying.

The traditional method Vs ours

Traditionally, the zucchini are cut into rounds and laid out to dry in the sun for a few hours until they are dehydrated before frying.

Going back to 's family recipe, the zucchini are salted for a few hours to draw out excess moisture, much like the method in our Parmigiana di Melanzane.

You could opt to go with one of these two methods, but we cut our zucchini thin, which works well, and they can be fried straight away. It is important, however, to maintain the heat of your oil so it doesn't drop too low. Always check it with a thermometer before adding another batch.

More good Italian side dishes to try

Sides

Ciambotta (Stewed Summer Vegetables)

Sides

Patate Apparecchiate (Sicilian Potatoes with Onions and Olives)

Sides

Italian Green Beans In Tomato Sauce

Antipasti

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 2 medium-sized zucchini ((courgettes))
• 1 large garlic clove ((or 2 small))
• 2 sprigs fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Sunflower oil (for frying (or your preferred oil))

Equipment

• Thermometer
• Kitchen paper, for draining

Method

To make the marinade

1. Finely chop the garlic and place in a medium bowl. Tear the mint into small pieces and add it to the bowl with the white wine vinegar and olive oil. Mix and set aside.

Fry the zucchini

1. Trim the tops of the zucchini and cut into very thin rounds with a sharp knife (you can use a mandoline if you have one). Add the sunflower oil to a heavy-based pan until 1 inch deep (we used around 500ml/2 cups).

2. Heat the oil to 180 °C (355℉), then fry the zucchini in small batches until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

Serve

1. Once all the zucchini are fried, sprinkle them with sea salt, then add them to the bowl with the garlic and mint.

2. Toss until everything is combined. You can enjoy it straight away or let it marinate for a few hours before serving. If you place them in the fridge, let them come to room temperature before serving.

Kitchen notes

• Use a candy/sugar thermometer make sure the oil is brought back to 180C (around 350-355F) before frying another batch.
• Drain on kitchen paper this is important for absorbing the excess oil after frying.
• Prep ahead this can be made 1-3 days in advance. Store it in the fridge, then bring it back to room temp before serving.