ALSO FOR VEGANS
With Ficandò we mean the traditional way of preparing peppers in the village of Alessano. The nature of the name with which this dish is defined is not exactly known. In fact it seems that the term Ficandò comes from beyond the Apulian borders and most probably it is due to one of the many peoples who have conquered the territory over the centuries. In its essentiality it is a decidedly tasty and particular dish. It is fried peppers, better if hot, cooked with onion, tomato, strictly from the Salento area, and basil leaves, which are used to season slices of homemade bread, bruschette or frise. To Alessano, which of Ficandò has made not only an excellent dish but almost a mark of recognition, every August 4th from 2009, there is the Ficandò Festival, a very hearty event where you can taste the dish prepared by the skilled housewives of the village and where to be able to taste 100% the Salento tradition thanks to the numerous musical and cultural events organized by the Pro Loco. To better taste the Ficandò peppers we recommend excellent white wine, naturally from Alessano.
Ready to cook?
Ingredients
- kg. 1 Green peppers (better if hot)
- g. 500 tomatoes, preferably from Morciano di Leuca
- g. 200 Tomato puree
- g. 250 Onion of Alessano
- g. 300 Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste.
Method
Let’s begin by cleaning the peppers, depriving them of seeds and internal filaments, and cutting them into strips. Fry them in abundant olive oil. We pour 100 grams of oil into another pot and heat it. Slowly cook the onion cut into julienne, and add the tomatoes, removed the seeds and cut into chunks, and the tomato sauce. We bring it to boil and halfway through cooking add the fried peppers. Let cook over a moderate heat until almost total shrinkage of the sauce and add salt.
Let it cool before bringing it to the table. Ficandò should be savored with home-made wheat bread or barley wheat frize.
…Good appetite!
