Prep
45 minutes, plus 24 hours draining
Cook
10 minutes
Serves
2 medium jars
Difficulty
Moderate
Region
Calabria
What you’ll need
Ingredients
- 3⅓ lb firm eggplants, sliced thin (about 3–4 medium eggplants)
- 3⅓ tbsp coarse sea salt
- 3⅛ cups white wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1–2 dried chillies
- Dried oregano Sea Salt & Dried Oregano Set →
- Extra-virgin olive oil, to cover Extra Virgin Olive Oil →
At the stove
Instructions
- 1
Layer the eggplant slices with the salt in a colander, weight them down, and drain for 24 hours.
- 2
Squeeze the slices dry by hand — as dry as you can get them.
- 3
Bring the vinegar to the boil, add the eggplant in batches for 2 minutes, then lift out and drain on clean cloths for several hours until no liquid remains.
- 4
Pack into clean jars with garlic, chilli and oregano, pressing out air pockets as you go.
- 5
Cover completely with olive oil, seal, and keep refrigerated.
- 6
Wait a week before eating, and always keep the eggplant fully submerged in oil.
Recipe notes
Safety note: vegetables preserved in oil at home carry a risk of botulism if moisture, acidity and storage are not controlled. Keep this refrigerated, keep everything under oil, use clean jars and utensils, and use within a few weeks. This is a home cooking recipe, not a tested commercial preservation specification.
Drying the eggplant thoroughly is the whole job — any water left behind shortens its life.
Context
Preserving summer vegetables in oil is a long-standing household practice across Calabria and southern Italy, done to carry the garden into the colder months.
Sources: Editorial adaptation of documented Calabrian household preserving, Ro & Ti Kitchen
The pieces used here
From the Kitchen
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