Zucchine alla Scapece

Alla Scapece is a term you’ll often see on menus in Naples and around Campania. The term and dish comes from the Spanish escabeche, which is usually a fish dish marinated and cooked in an acidic sauce. The Campanian version doesn’t diverge much

Last week in Cetara I had a Scapece (written on the menu just like that… “Scapece”) of anchovies and sauro, which is a slightly larger bluefish, about the size of a big sardine.
Not sure why I haven’t heard of this before (I feel that way about much of the incredible cuisine of Campania). So simple, so fresh, and a little confusing. Why would you fry something to a lovely crisp and then soak it in vinegar water? Of course it comes back to necessity and preserving food in days before refrigeration. When I think of fried fish I don’t usually think of them swimming in vinegar-water. But oh they should! They do!

I enjoyed this dish at Frittura del Golfo in Cetara. This casual little spot on the main drag is owned by the Giordano family. Pretty sure half of Cetara is a Giordano, by the way. Antonella runs the front of house and her brother Francesco is the chef. I asked them for the recipe afterwards and have since used it to make a popular variation, Zucchine alla Scapece as well. Marina in Cucina helped me out with that by teaching me to sun dry the slices for a few hours first. This allows for a crunchier and faster fry with less water spraying everywhere.