Italian Family Recipes: Carote Sott’Olio & Zucchine Marinate | Geppetta Boards

Some of the best recipes aren’t found in cookbooks. They’re the ones passed from one person to another, written on a scrap of paper, remembered from watching someone in the kitchen, and made so many times that eventually you don’t even need the recipe anymore.

These two recipes are exactly that.

Since arriving in Italy this summer, I’ve made Zia Pasqualina’s Carote Sott’Olio and my mom’s marinated zucchini several times. I’ve added them to my Geppetta Boards when we’ve had family and friends gathered around the table, and every single time, they have been a hit.

In fact, after having several friends ask me, “How did you make these?” I knew it was finally time to share the recipes.

Zia Pasqualina’s Carote Sott’Olio

The carrots are particularly special because I still have Zia Pasqualina’s original handwritten recipe.

It couldn’t be simpler: carrots, vinegar, sugar, salt and good olive oil. But like so many old family recipes, the magic is in the method.

And Zia Pasqualina’s little secret is an important one: after the carrots are cooked, they need to be spread on clean, dry towels and allowed to dry very well before they ever touch the olive oil.

It’s such a simple detail, but it makes all the difference.

They’re slightly sweet, tangy and delicious straight from the jar, and they’re wonderful tucked between cheeses, meats and crusty bread on a Geppetta Board.

Mom’s Zucchine Marinate

The zucchini comes from my mom.

It’s a little different from the carrots: lighter, more savory and with that wonderful vinegar bite that I love.

The zucchini is sliced lengthwise into thin strips, quickly blanched in a vinegar bath and then spread out on towels to cool and dry. Once dry, it’s tossed with good olive oil, thinly sliced garlic, parsley, oregano and a little pepper.

I prefer my zucchini more vinegary than sweet, so I’ve adjusted this version to have just enough sugar to soften the acidity without actually making it taste sweet.

After it has had a little time to rest, the zucchini absorbs all that garlic, vinegar, olive oil and fresh herb flavor.

It’s simple Italian food at its best.

Two Recipes, Two Generations

What I love most is seeing these recipes become part of my own table.

One came from my Zia Pasqualina. One came from my mom. And now I’m making them here in Italy and serving them to another generation of family and friends.

That is really what my Geppetta Boards have always been about.

They’re not simply about arranging meats and cheeses beautifully. They’re about gathering people around a table and filling that table with things that have a story behind them.

A handwritten recipe.

Something your mother taught you.

A dish everyone keeps reaching for.

And, inevitably, someone asking for the recipe before the evening is over.

So, after many requests, I’m finally sharing both.

Zia Pasqualina’s Carote Sott’Olio and Mom’s Zucchine Marinate — two simple family recipes, passed down with love and now finding their way onto my Geppetta Boards.

I hope they find their way onto your table, too.

Buon appetito!

Robina
Geppetta Boards