Verdure in Saor
A classic Venetian dish of golden fried courgettes steeped in a sweet-and-sour marinade of stewed white onions, vinegar, sultanas and toasted pine nuts.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide frying pan
- •Heavy-bottomed skillet
- •Slotted spoon
- •Ceramic or glass serving dish
- •Kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 28 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 4 g
- calories
- 260 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak the sultanas in a small bowl of warm water for fifteen minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- 2
Heat the shallow-frying olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
- 3
Fry the sliced courgettes in single batches until golden on both sides, then transfer to kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
- 4
Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a separate heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat.
- 5
Add the sliced white onions with a pinch of salt and cook gently for twenty minutes until completely soft and translucent.
- 6
Pour in the white wine vinegar and sugar, letting the liquid simmer gently for three minutes until the harsh vapour subsides.
- 7
Stir the drained sultanas and toasted pine nuts into the warm onion mixture, then season with freshly ground black pepper.
- 8
Arrange a layer of fried courgettes in the bottom of a clean ceramic or glass dish.
- 9
Spoon a generous layer of the warm onion saor over the vegetables.
- 10
Repeat the layering until all courgettes are used, finishing with a final layer of onions and juices on top.
- 11
Cover the dish and rest in the refrigerator for at least twenty-four hours before eating.
Chef's tips
Saor requires patience; the dish tastes significantly better after forty-eight hours than on the day it is made. Always bring the vegetables back to room temperature before serving so the olive oil liquefies and the flavours open up.
Ingredient substitutions
- courgettes → thinly sliced pumpkin (zucca) or aubergines, fried until tender
- white wine vinegar → mild apple cider vinegar if white wine vinegar is unavailable
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days; the flavour improves with time.
Reheating
Do not reheat; leave the dish at room temperature for thirty minutes before serving.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking the onions too fast over high heat, which browns them and ruins their melting sweetness.
- •Serving the dish immediately without giving the marinade twenty-four hours to infuse the vegetables.
- •Serving straight from the fridge while the oil is still cold and solid.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Verdure in Saor?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Veneto
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
