If you love the authentic flavours and aromas of the South, aubergines in oil Apulian style are a must-have delicacy in your pantry. This typical Apulian preserve encapsulates all the essence of the Mediterranean: simple, genuine and carefully processed ingredients.
Imagine aubergines, patiently sliced and flavoured with garlic, mint, chilli and extra virgin olive oil, transformed into a little treasure chest of flavour. Each bite takes you back to the sunny olive groves and generous countryside of our land, on a sensory journey that smells of home, family Sundays and handed-down recipes.
Preparing them is a gesture of love towards tradition and a way to bring a piece of Apulian history to the table. Perfect as an appetiser, irresistible with homemade bread or to enrich a platter of cold meats and cheeses, aubergines in oil are a cuddle that conquers at first taste.
A legend between myth and reality: the aubergine that made a prince fall in love
An old legend linked to the aubergine is passed down in many towns in Puglia:
The story goes that a young foreign prince, travelling through southern Italy, stopped at an Apulian farmhouse, tired and hungry. The old peasant woman who welcomed him offered him only what she had: bread, cheese and aubergines in oil. The intense and unexpected flavour of that conserve won the prince over so much that he returned home and ordered aubergines to be planted in every vegetable garden in his kingdom. But it was not only the taste that enraptured him… it seems he also fell in love with the farmer’s niece, who prepared the preserves with expert hands and a sincere heart.
Since then, it has been said in many Apulian families that aubergines in oil are not only good, but bring good luck and love to those who share them with others.
Ingredients for aubergines in oil Apulian style
To achieve a flawless result, the quality of the ingredients is crucial:
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Fresh, firmaubergines (preferably local)
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Apulian extra virgin olive oil (with a fruity, intense flavour)
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Fresh garlic
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Chopped parsley or fresh mint
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Chilli pepper (to taste)
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White wine vinegar
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Coarse salt
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Black peppercorns
Each ingredient contributes to the balance of sweetness, acidity and spiciness typical of Apulian peasant preserves.
How to prepare aubergines in oil Apulian style
Here is the step-by-step procedure for a preserve made the old-fashioned way:
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Slice the aubergines into rounds or strips of about 5 mm. Sprinkle them with coarse salt and place them in a colander with a weight on top. Let them stand for at least 2 hours to remove the vegetation water.
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Rinse and dry them carefully. Bring a mixture of water and white vinegar (1:1) to the boil and blanch them for 2-3 minutes.
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Drain and leave to cool on a clean cloth, spreading them out well to evaporate the moisture.
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Arrange in layers in the sterilised jars, alternating aubergines, garlic, chilli, herbs and black pepper.
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Cover completely with extra virgin olive oil, pressing lightly to eliminate air bubbles.
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Hermetically seal the jars and store them in a cool, dark place.
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After at least 2 weeks, the flavours will have melded: the aubergines will be ready to be enjoyed! ✨ Tip: for a stronger taste, you can add a few bay leaves or a pinch of dried oregano.
Aubergines in oil Apulian style: ready to eat, as home-made
There is a perfume that smells of summer, of patient hands and tables laid in the shade of olive trees: it is that of aubergines in oil Apulian style.
An ancient rite, handed down from generation to generation, which we at Agropuglia carry on with the same care and passion as in the past.
Our aubergines in oil are not a simple preserve, but a concentrate of taste, history and territory. You don’t have to worry about searching for ingredients, slicing, salting and waiting for hours: we have done it all for you, as it was done in the old days, respecting every single step of tradition.
At Agropuglia you will find artisan aubergines in oil, ready to be enjoyed.
Made with Apulianextra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, herbs and a pinch of chilli pepper, they are the result of an authentic, uncompromising peasant recipe.
