Zucchini alla scapece: the Neapolitan recipe for a fabulous side dish!

Here is the recipe for courgettes alla scapece, a typical Neapolitan dish in the classic version and without frying (in the oven or air fryer).

Excellent to serve as a seasonal side dish, they are delicious and really easy to make: today we offer you the recipe for courgettes alla scapece. This is a traditional Neapolitan preparation that involves marinating and frying these tasty vegetables. We will therefore see the traditional preparation and also the lighter version, without frying. It may not be the original one, but it is perfect for those who pay more attention to their figure!

Preparation of courgettes in scapece

1. For the marinade, peel the garlic cloves and cut them into small pieces before adding them to the mint, salt and vinegar.
2. Take the courgettes, wash them , clean them and cut them into thin slices. Fry them in a large pan with olive oil for a few minutes or just enough so that they take on an amber color .
3. Remove the courgettes with a slotted spoon, drain them of excess oil by passing them on a paper towel and place them in a baking dish .
4. Finally, season the courgettes with the previously prepared marinade, also adding a couple of spoons of frying oil. Mix and let rest for a few hours before serving.

Unfried scapece courgettes

Here is the recipe with non-fried courgettes. The marinade remains unchanged therefore the final flavor of the dish will still be excellent.

1. Add the chopped garlic cloves, mint leaves, salt, oil and vinegar.
2. Clean the courgettes, wash them under running water then cut them into rounds and grill them on a non-stick grill for a few minutes on each side, being careful not to overcook or burn them.
3. Gradually place the cooked courgette slices in a baking dish and let them cool . Drizzle them with the marinade and leave to flavor for at least an hour before serving.

You can find all the details and some additional tips in our recipe for non-fried scapece courgettes .

Another way to prepare non-fried courgettes is to use the most popular appliance of the moment. The scapece courgettes in the air fryer are nice and crispy, almost as if they were fried: you will be enchanted by their goodness.

Origin of the name

The name of this dish "alla scapece" or "a scapece" originates from the times of Spanish domination and from the term escabeche which slightly means to soak precisely because the fried courgettes are immediately seasoned with a mix of oil, vinegar and herbs. This type of preparation was originally used mainly as a preservation method

Conservation

The scapece courgettes can be kept for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, covered in cling film or in an airtight container.

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