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Sweet and sour pumpkin


Sweet and sour pumpkin

Sweet and sour pumpkin is a simple side dish to prepare, perfect for accompanying any dish. Here is our recipe.

Pumpkin is a typical cold season vegetable which, thanks to its flavour, lends itself well to both sweet and savory recipes. Among the latter there is the sweet and sour pumpkin, born in Sicily and then spread throughout the peninsula. Sicilian sweet and sour fried pumpkin is a truly typical traditional dish and for this reason it is difficult to identify the original recipe.

The preparation varies from family to family but some ingredients are strong points: the red pumpkin (but you can also use other varieties), the vinegar and sugar to prepare the sweet and sour dessert, and the garlic . Fresh aromatic herbs are then added and, after having tried different combinations, we would like to recommend fresh mint .

Delicate pumpkin
Delicate pumpkin

Ingredients

For the sweet and sour pumpkin

  • Pumpkin – 1 kg
  • Garlic – 2 cloves
  • Mint – 2 bunches
  • Wine vinegar – 100 ml
  • Sugar – 1 tbsp
  • Extra virgin olive oil – to taste
  • Salt – to taste
  • Pepper – to taste

Preparation

How to prepare the sweet and sour pumpkin recipe

1

Preparing sweet and sour red pumpkin is really simple. We start by depriving the red pumpkin (but other varieties such as Delica, Butternut, Violina or Mantovana are also fine as long as they have firm pulp) of the peel. Then cut it into slices half a centimeter thick.

2

Heat a drop of oil in a pan and fry the pumpkin slices until they are golden on both sides and the pulp is very tender. Drain them with a slotted spoon and pass them on absorbent paper.

3

In the meantime, chop the garlic and mint very finely. Form layers in a container, alternating the pumpkin with the aromatic mixture and seasoning each with a pinch of salt and pepper .

4

Remove almost all the oil used for frying except about 1/3 (only a thin layer should remain on the bottom). Then pour in the vinegar and sugar and reduce over high heat for a few minutes, paying attention to splashes. Pour the liquid over the pumpkin and let everything cool before transferring it to the refrigerator and letting it rest for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

This side dish is perfect to accompany any recipe, from fish to meat main courses, but it is also excellent as an appetizer served in combination with fresh or mature cheeses. Here is a video with all the steps to make it.

If you love strong flavours, then we recommend preparing pumpkin in saor : you won't regret it!

Easy variant of pan-fried sweet and sour pumpkin

A different variant, but with the same ingredients, can be made without using frying oil . You will have to fry the vegetable as already indicated, then drain them and place them in absorbent paper so that they lose the excess oil. Take approximately 100 ml of oil, 100 ml of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar, mix well until the sugar has dissolved completely. At this point, pour in the sweet and sour liquid together with the chopped garlic and the finely chopped mint.

One last piece of advice? You can prepare sweet and sour pumpkin without frying using the oven. Cook the vegetable slices at 200°C for about 15-20 minutes , then let them cool and then add the liquid. Alternatively, follow our air fryer recipe .

Conservation

The sweet and sour pumpkin can be kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 days , well covered in cling film. You can enjoy it both cold and at room temperature.

Origin and history

It is said that the Sicilian sweet and sour pumpkin was born out of necessity at the Vucciria market, in Palermo, with the name of o ficatu ri setti cannola (the liver of the seven taps). In fact, the preparation was the same as that of sweet and sour liver but, as the latter was too expensive, it was the prerogative only of the wealthier segments of the population. The reference to the seven taps instead is to identify the place where the sellers' stall was located.

Today sweet and sour pumpkin is not only a typical product of Sicily , where each family prepares it in its own way by varying the aromatic herbs and the proportions of the ingredients, but it has spread throughout Italy where it is served both as an appetizer and as a side dish.

Read also
The 20 best pumpkin recipes for delicious and amazing dishes

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